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Elmira, Ontario, Canada | observerxtra.com | Volume 27 | Issue 17

130

Living Here | 20

Conestoga Meats pledges to match donations to Breslau splash pad Bill Atwood Observer Staff

Airport manager Chris Wood, regional Chair Karen Redman and Kitchener-Conestoga MP Tim Louis cut the ribbon Apr. 21 to officially Bill Atwood open the expanded terminal at the Breslau facility.

Region opens expanded terminal; Flair Airlines sees no interruption Bill Atwood Observer Staff

IN THE MORNING WATERLOO REGION Chair Karen Redman deemed it a “great day for the airport and our region,” in the afternoon the CEO of Flair, the very airline that is expected to lead service out of the newly expanded airport, had to reassure customers that it would be able to continue flying past May 3.

The region last week held the official opening of the

domestic arrivals building, part of the $44- million terminal expansion at Waterloo Region International Airport in Breslau.

“Airports play a vital role in the prosperity of communities by connecting people and businesses with the world. …The work being done here is critical to the future of our region, our economy and the way we travel,” said Kitchener-Conestoga MP Tim Louis at the event to mark the opening.

“An expanded domestic

air terminal will help the airport to comfortably and reliably accommodate the increasing number of travelers arriving to and departing from the Region of Waterloo,” he said.

The number of passengers coming through YKF is expected to increase to more than 700,000 in 2022, up from just 171,828 in 2021.

The new building will be able to handle the three 737s (two domestic, one international) at a time.

The expansion is part of the $375 million master plan

for the airport that was passed by regional council in 2017.

“Not only does this expansion increase convenience for passengers, enabling families and businesses to connect with more freedom, to our economic hubs, but it also directly supports our growing aerospace and aviation sector,” said Redman.

Part of the region’s reasoning for YKF’s expansion is the increasing number of passengers at → AIRPORT 24

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THE CAMPAIGN TO BUILD A splash pad in Breslau got a big boost this week when Conestoga Meat Packers pledged to match donations up to $50,000.

“We just wanted to support the community and families in the community with the splash pad initiative. We think it’s a great thing for families to enjoy. Our tagline is ‘by families, for families,’ and we want to support the community,” said Conestoga Meats president Arnold Drung.

The Breslau-based cooperative has a long history of supporting the community, says David Giacomazzi of the Breslau Community Fundraising Group.

“They’re a really great corporation that gives back to the people of Breslau. There’s lots of people that work at Conestoga Meats that live here in Breslau. So it’s really great to have a company like that.

In the works since 2012, the splash pad was given another stamp of approval by Woolwich council in January. The

1,650-square-foot project is expected to cost $275,000 to build. Operating costs, estimated at $30,000 a year based on expenses at the Elmira splash pad, will be paid by the township.

It’s a big fundraising project for the community, but entirely worth it, says Giacomazzi.

“There’s not much here in Breslau and the closest splash pad within our township is Elmira. We’re a growing community, and I think that we have the footprint in order to have a splash pad. We have a lot of kids here… so this is one of the things that the community said ‘it would be nice if we had a splash pad,’” he explained.

“I think it’s money well spent. It’s not exactly a 10-minute drive [to Elmira] – it takes some time to get there. That’s our recreation centre where we’re supposed to be bringing our kids to go swimming and use those facilities, and we typically don’t because they’re so far away. We rely on Kitchener for a lot of their resources. Does it make sense that we pack our kids up in a car and drive to a splash pad → SPLASH PAD 4

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Funding for school, arena

From the archives

The Ontario government is investing $12.1 million in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board for a new Baden Catholic Elementary School and providing $4.1 million for the New Hamburg Arena modernization project in Wilmot Township. The funding was announced this week by Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris.

From Crompton & Knowles to Uniroyal to Chemtura, the local chemical plant in Elmira was officially acquired last Friday and given its new name – LANXESS, a specialty chemical company based in Cologne, Germany.

The acquisition was announced in 2016, but it’s taken some time to sort out all the paperwork across international borders.

From the Apr. 27, 2017 edition of The Observer

School boards dealing with absenteeism Bill Atwood Observer Staff

TWO UNIONS REPRESENTING TEACHERS IN Waterloo Region are calling on the school boards to re-introduce mask mandates to help mitigate absences among teachers and students.

“We were hoping that after March Break that the COVID numbers would go down and that the rates of absence would go down as well, because we have the lifting of some of the isolation protocols. But unfortunately that also coincided with the lifting of the mask mandate,”

said Jeff Pelich, president of the Waterloo chapter of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.

“In our classrooms we have quite a lot of students in small rooms, 30 students for six hours a day and it’s no surprise that…absence rates within our buildings has

increased and it directly coincides with the lifting of that mask mandate,” he said.

Pelich said the current rate of teacher absences is unlike anything they have ever seen before.

“We would like to see at least on a temporary basis a return to a more sound

approach to masking, a more strict approach to say ‘yeah, we should put those masks back on when they’re in the classroom to keep everyone safe,’” he said.

The provincial government keeps a running list of schools that have reported combined

student and staff absenteeism levels, although it does not differentiate between COVID and non-COVID related. As of April 26 absences listed in Woolwich by percentage include Conestogo Public School (8.8), Breslau PS (7.2), Floradale (15.6), → ABSENTEEISM 5

Ontario Green Party looks to expand Greenbelt into region, covering townships Leah Gerber Observer Staff

A GREEN PARTY INITIATIVE WOULD double the size of Ontario’s Greenbelt, expanding to include most of Wellesley and Woolwich townships.

The motion tabled earlier this month includes a protected ring focused on water, called the Bluebelt.

The Bluebelt emphasizes the protection of the groundwater moraines which Guelph and Waterloo Region rely upon as their primary sources of drinking water, as well as wetlands and surface waters such as lakes and streams or rivers. Along with protection of water, the party also prioritizes protection of farmland.

“We know that we’re losing farmland at an unsustainable rate in Ontario, 175 acres a day on average. We need that land to feed us,” said Mike Schreiner, Green Party leader and MPP for Guelph.

“And we also know that because of the climate crisis, we’re going to be seeing increased flood risk.”

Schreiner says now is the time to emphasize protection of water and water systems because a community’s natural infrastructure is the most cost-effective way to deal with the water-related issues cities and municipalities are facing now and in the future.

“Just the average flooded basement cost somebody $43,000 to repair. I’d rather just avoid it by making sure we don’t pave over nature’s ability to protect us from flooding,” said Schreiner.

“The lowest cost, most financially responsible way to protect us from flooding is to protect nature’s ability to absorb that excess water. We also know that we are going to need to make sure that we have adequate groundwater supplies and so obviously, I have an elevated interest in that in Guelph because we have a large city that still relies heavily on groundwater for drinking water. So protecting the moraines in particular are vital to protecting the quantity and quality of → GREENBELT 5

Scott Clark is a local cyclist who says gaps in cycling infrastructure and lack of connectivity are some of the main barriers to cycling in Waterloo Region. Leah Gerber

Farmers’ market trail almost complete Leah Gerber Observer Staff

THE MULTI-USE TRAIL CONNECTING THE St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market to the rest of Waterloo Region is getting closer to completion, as city and regional officials report both sections are almost complete.

The proposed trail route generally follows the LRT and railway lines and is divided into two sections or stages. Stage one will

connect the LRT station on Northfield Drive to the market on Farmers Market Road. That portion is being built by the Region of Waterloo.

The City of Waterloo is building stage two of the trail, which connects the LRT station on Northfield Drive to the research park on Frank Tompa Drive in Waterloo. That stretch will connect with the city’s established Laurel trail.

Christopher Hodgson is the manager of active

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and autonomous transportation at the City of Waterloo. He says the city’s portion of the trail is 90 per cent complete, and this season staff will install the finishing touches such as pedestrian-level lighting, signage and painted lines along it.

This trail project is essentially a realignment of the Trans Canada Trail, known now as The Great Trail, to connect more efficiently from the business park to Farmers’ Market

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Road in Woolwich Township. When complete, the route will span four kilometres.

The previous route of The Great Trail is more than seven kilometres long and follows a route on and off roads roughly in line with Westmount and Benjamin roads.

“This realignment of the trail on stages one and two is really to help people move more between the residential areas to

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4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Kings facing a tougher go of it in second-round series against Stratford Steve Kannon

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AFTER SWEEPING THROUGH THEIR FIRSTROUND series against Brantford, the Elmira Sugar Kings are in tough against Stratford. They’re going to need at least six games after the Warriors tied the series at 2-2 with a victory Tuesday night.

As with Stratford’s previous win, Tuesday night’s game needed overtime to decide it.

“Stratford has led in this series for zero seconds – they haven’t been leading a game, they haven’t carried the lead in this series for any time, and it’s 2-2, which is crazy to think about. Welcome to playoff hockey – crazier things have happened,” said head coach Rob Collins.

While the Kings captured top spot in the GOJHL’s Midwestern Conference, they expected a tough battle against their longtime rivals in Stratford.

That the series wasn’t going to be the cakewalk that was Brantford became obvious in the opening game April 20 at the WMC, a low-scoring affair that

saw the Warriors win in OT. After a scoreless first period, Brody Leblanc put Elmira ahead 1-0 with just 23 second left in the middle frame, assisted by Aidan Yarde and Nathaniel Mott.

Stratford got the equalizer at 6:58 of the third while on a power play.

That’s how things stood until the Warriors scored at 9:30 of the extra stanza to take a 2-1 victory.

Shots were 29-22 in favour of Elmira, including 6-4 in OT. The Kings were 0-1 with the man advantage, while Stratford was 1-3.

It was a different story in Stratford two nights later, where power-play goals abounded in a 7-3 win for the visitors. The Kings went up 3-0 in the first and never looked back.

Luke Eurig got things rolling at 9:26 of the first, with assists going to Jaxson Murray and Owen O’Donnell. At 14:56, it was 2-0 courtesy of Jayden Lammel’s power-play marker, assisted by Kurtis Goodwin and Brock Reinhart. Twenty seconds later, Leblanc (Eurig, Adam Grein) scored a power-play goal of his own.

Stratford got one back at 16:27 to end the period down 3-1.

In the second, the only scoring was another powerplay goal by the Kings, this one off the stick of Murray, assisted by Liam Eveleigh and Lammel.

The pace picked up in the third, with Stratford making it 4-2 just 32 seconds in. That was as close as they’d get, however, as the Kings exploded for three more goals in a little over four minutes: Daniel Fraleigh (Mott, Yarde), Grein (Lammel, Goodwin) and Logan Crans (Leblanc, Grein). The last was a power-play marker at 9:05.

The Warriors got one back with less than two minutes to go, but there was never a doubt about the outcome, a 7-3 win for Elmira.

Shots were 32-19 in favour of the visitors, who were 4-5 with the man advantage, while Stratford was 1-5. Netminder Dan Botelho, who didn’t get much run support in the opener, stopped 16 for the win.

With the action back in Elmira Sunday, the teams

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employment areas along the route, the universities and the new Ion stations and the parks as well as the border network that can kind of connect those neighborhoods,” said Hodgson.

“The planning and feasibility of this started back in about 2017 when we got some grants between us and the region to help manage the work. Now it’s starting to come to fruition, so everybody’s looking forward to it.”

Hodgson said a notable exception is where the trail crosses Weber Street.

Weber Street is being redesigned and will be reconstructed from Albert Street to Northfield Drive.

When this happens the trail will be reconfigured.

Until then, about 100 metres is missing in the multi-use trail.

Cyclists can dismount and use the sidewalks or use the bike lanes on the street, he says, adding the reconfiguration is expected to take place next year.

Stage one of the trail “is within the region-owned railway corridor between Farmers Market Road and Northfield Drive. Michelle

Pinto, an engineer with the region, says stage one is almost complete, but lighting must be installed before it can be opened to the public. She expects that to happen in May. Stage one and stage two will meet up at the intersection of Parkside and Northfield drives in Waterloo. Trail users can use the sidewalk or painted bike lanes to travel to the Northfield Drive Ion station and continue on the trail to the farmers’ market.

“Wayfinding signage will be installed to direct trail users accordingly,” said Pinto.

Northfield Drive is one of Waterloo’s busiest roads. It has four lanes, exit- and on-ramps to Highway 85, as well as rail tracks and a signalized road crossing.

Local cyclist Scott Clark tweeted about difficulties crossing Northfield Drive earlier this month. He says asking cyclists to rely on the green painted lines on busy Northfield Drive is a gap in the trail infrastructure “There’s no connection there [on Northfield Drive]. Right now all that’s really there is the existing

painted bike lanes, which I don’t think many people feel comfortable using,” he said.

“I’m someone who rides a few thousand kilometres a year and I think I rode on the sidewalk, partly because I wasn’t sure where the path went if there was something I was missing. But it’s a road where the average vehicle speed might be close to 70 kilometres per hour, so it’s not something that a lot of people are going to enjoy for that stretch.”

According to the mapping provided by the region, trail users can cross Northfield Drive at Parkside Drive and use the sidewalk or painted bike lanes to access the rest of the trail going to the market, or they can cross Northfield Drive at the signalized rail crossing by the Ion Station on Northfield Drive.

“The region is looking at options to extend the trail from the railway corridor behind the fire hall to the Northfield/ Parkside Drive intersection, and is engaging in discussions with the private property owner for this piece,” said Pinto.

got off to a tentative start before the Kings put away a 4-1 victory.

There was no scoring in the first. Leblanc put Elmira up 1-0 at 1:28 of the first, assisted by Eurig and Murray. The Warriors lone goal – a power-play marker – tied the match at 10:39, but six minutes later it was 2-1 for the home side courtesy of Murray, from Eurig and Leblanc. That’s how things would stand heading into the intermission.

In the third, goals from Murray (O’Donnell, Eurig) and O’Donnell (Eurig, Leblanc), the latter on the power play, sealed the win.

Shots again favoured Elmira, 27-17, with the Kings 1-3 on the power play and Stratford going 1-5. Botelho stopped 16 en route to the win.

Tuesday night’s game saw plenty of power play chances on both sides, but it would prove to be a low-scoring affair that would require double OT to decide.

The opening period was again scoreless, but Elmira’s Chris Black scored his first of the playoffs unassisted to give the Kings a 1-0 lead →KINGS 23

SPLASH PAD: Conestoga Meats pledge a big boost to Breslau project → FROM 1

in Kitchener? Perhaps. It would be a lot nicer if we could be entertained here in Breslau,” he said.

Timeline for completion is dependent on the township and the fundraising group’s ability to raise the money needed to build it.

However the goal is to have the funding in place to send the job out to tender by spring of next year, Giacomazzi said.

With the Conestoga Meats donation, the group has raised about 30 per cent of its goal. The group also recently received an anonymous donation of $5,000.

“That’s the kind of support that we’re really looking to drum up. We’re on a good trajectory to hit our goal, so it’s very positive,” Giacomazzi added.

“We’re obviously part of the Breslau area, part of the community and we believe in supporting the community where we work and where quite a few of our employees live as well,” said Drung of the company’s impetus to get involved in the project.

Thursday, April 28, 2022 | THE OBSERVER

COMMUNITY NEWS | 5

GREENBELT: Province looking at expansion; Green party finds support for its Bluebelt initiative to protect water → FROM 3

our water supplies.”

Wetlands and river floodplains need to be protected because they naturally regulate floodwater to contain and release it slowly.

Moraines need to be protected because they are the primary source of drinking water for some major population centres including all of Waterloo Region and the entire city of Guelph. Moraines are vulnerable to over-development which impedes their recharge by paving over the areas where precipitation lands and seeps into the ground.

Moraines must be

recharged to continue to provide drinking water.

The Bluebelt idea is not new. Schreiner tabled the Paris Galt Moraine Conservation Act in 2019 before the pandemic.

The bill had all-party support in its first and second reading and was to be discussed for its third and final reading before the legislature was prorogued in 2021 by the Progressive Conservative government. Proroguing the legislature means that all legislative business in provincial parliament is stopped, and all in-progress legislation ended – like a reset button.

The Progressive

Conservative government also proposed expanding the Greenbelt in 2021 to include the Paris Galt moraine, and conducted public consultations about this. Ultimately the provincial government decided not to expand the Greenbelt to include the Paris Galt moraine because of possible impact to creating housing and jobs.

Schreiner’s goal is to table the Greenbelt expansion as an active discussion in provincial parliament now, so that it can be put forward as proposed legislation in the next parliament after the June 2 election.

ABSENTEEISM: Missed time due to COVID remains an issue for the the school boards, teachers’ unions → FROM 3

John Mahood (11.3) Riverside (16.3) and St. Jacobs OS. In Wellesley, the public school has a rate of 11.5 per cent while St. Clement Catholic Elementary School has 9.6 per cent of students and staff absent.

The Waterloo Region District School Board was unable to provide numbers on how the current level of absences compare to normal levels, however they did acknowledge there has been an uptick.

“As COVID-19 cases rise across the province, in the past weeks, we have seen an increase in absenteeism in our schools. As we have done for more than two years, we continue to shift and make adjustments accordingly,” said communications officer Estefanía Brandenstein.

Patrick Etmanski, president of the Waterloo Catholic Teachers Association, said they have asked their school board to show stronger support for masks.

“We’ve asked them to reinstitute the mask mandate. They told us that they can’t do that; they’re following public health guidelines. So having them write a letter, having them put some pressure back on the government to reinstate that mask mandate, I think is the smart thing to do,” he said, acknowledging the challenges.

“It’s not easy to go backwards on this and suddenly ask families, and kids to start wearing their masks again, but with the number of absences I don’t see any

other way out of this at this point,” he explained.

“WCDSB is following the direction of the chief medical officer of health and Region of Waterloo Public Health, and the practice of most boards across the province. The board’s guiding principle throughout the pandemic has been to follow the expert advice of health officials. School staff are not public health experts,” said chief managing officer John Shewchuck via email.

While the public school board provides daily COVID-19 updates the Catholic school board has chosen not to do so.

“In the government’s updated “Interim Guidance for Schools and Child Care: Omicron Surge” there is no further expectation regarding notification of cases or dismissal of cohorts.

There is a general presumption or understanding that most if not all schools will have some presence of COVID,” Shewchuk said.

According to Shewchuk they are experiencing the highest level of absences since the pandemic began.

Pelich noted that when a teacher is absent there may not be an occasional teacher available to fill in.

“When they go unfilled, we call them fail to fills so when there’s no one at the start of the day to pick up that position, the principal then has to figure out how they’re going to fill those positions for the day,” Pelich explained.

That leads to students having multiple teach-

ers in a day that aren’t prepared, leading to a lower quality education, he suggested.

While not addressing that union’s claims, Brandenstein said the school board is “doing everything possible within each school to ensure the safety of students and support the continuity of learning.”

Etmanski explained that a similar situation is happening in Waterloo Catholic District School Board, with the board turning to uncertified individuals to act as a “classroom supervisor.”

“When we have somebody in front of the classroom, who’s not a trained teacher delivering that curriculum it is a bit of a problem,” he said.

Shewchuk said the Catholic board has always used uncertified teachers on an emergency basis, however he did acknowledge that their use is higher than it was pre-pandemic.

“Uncertified teachers come from a variety of backgrounds, many are university students, and some teach in post-secondary institutions,” he said.

Pelich did acknowledge the letter the public school board wrote on March 14 to Ontario’s chief medical officer of health and education minister asking for a two-week extension on the mask mandate, however that request was denied.

“As the board didn’t get approval, we continue to encourage staff and students to wear a mask but also to be kind to those who choose not to wear,” said Brandenstein.

Cyclist injured in collision with car in Elmira Leah Gerber Observer Staff

EMERGENCY CREWS RESPONDED TO LISTOWEL Road in Elmira Tuesday afternoon after a black Toyota hatchback collided with a cyclist.

“I was driving home and he turned in front of

ↆ P O L I C E

me, but not enough time to stop, basically,” said the driver of the Toyota, who did not wish to be identified.

The cyclist was heading west on Listowel Road and was turning left onto Three Bridges Road when he was struck, said the driver.

The incident happened shortly after 4 p.m.

“We are transporting a patient to hospital,” said Lt. Robertson from the Woolwich Fire Department. “It was bicycle versus car.”

The cyclist’s wife was on scene, and with help from emergency services staff, she put the bicycle on a bike rack on the back of her vehicle.

R E P O R T

Quantifying those least likely to buckle up In 2021, 47 people were killed in OPP-investigated motor vehicle collisions in which failure to wear a seatbelt was a factor in the deaths.

While the majority of road users understand the lifesaving value of seatbelts, the many excuses for failing to buckle up cost road users their lives year after year. The excuses range from only driving a short distance or at low speeds, seatbelts being uncomfortable or no longer needed because of airbags, to the myth that wearing a seatbelt will trap a person and make things worse during a crash, to name a few, police report.

The OPP notes that wearing a seatbelt has

been proven time and time again to save lives in a collision. Drivers are encouraged to set a good example for teens and other young drivers and passengers by buckling up for every ride, ensuring they do too, and to help them form a life-long habit of wearing this important life-saving device.

Drivers are reminded that they are required by law to ensure they have proper (and properly installed) child car seats for babies, toddlers and small children.

In a blitz over the Easter long weekend, OPP laid 1,386 charges throughout the province against drivers and passengers who failed to buckle up and keep themselves safe. exited the store without paying. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident, or has information in connection to the incident, is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.

APRIL 23

cle after it was found to be travelling in excess speed of 135km/h in an 80km/h limit zone. A 53-yearold Milverton man was charged with ‘race motor vehicle - excessive speed.’ A 30-day driving suspension and 14-day vehicle impoundment were initiated as per statute. The accused is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Stratford at a later date to answer to the charge.

10:00 PM | Perth County

APRIL 24

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) points to three age demographics that are the least likely to buckle up based on its 10-year fatality data.

Of the 542 people who died between 2012 and 2021 in collisions in which lack of seatbelt use was a factor in their deaths, vehicle occupants between the ages of 25 and 34 had the highest rate of fatalities, accounting for 24 per cent of the deaths. The 15 to 24 year age bracket was the second highest group, at 22.3 per cent, followed by 35 to 44 year-olds at 13.5 per cent of those who died without wearing seatbelts. Drivers (vs. passengers) accounted for 75 per cent of the deaths.

APRIL 22 7:17 AM | Police received

a report of a theft from a vehicle in Elmira. Sometime between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. that day, unknown suspect(s) entered two vehicles parked in a driveway on Duke Street.

Personal property and a small amount of cash was taken. Anyone with information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.

OPP charged a Milverton driver after they were speeding more than 50 km/h over the limit. An officer was conducting speed enforcement on Perth Road 119 in the Township of Perth East when they stopped a vehi-

10:14 AM | Waterloo

Regional Police received a report of a shoplifter at a business on Arthur Street South near Earl Martin Drive in Elmira.

Two unknown suspects selected merchandise and

APRIL 25 9:31 AM | Waterloo

Regional Police received a theft in the area of Glasgow and Elgin streets in Conestogo. The victim had their personal belongings stolen while fishing in the area. Anyone who witnessed the incident, or has information in connection to the incident, is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 6

Opinion

When local news matters ... ... it matters where you get your local news.

Connect: observerxtra.com/staff

Verbatim

The Monitor

“This is not about justice. It is about trying to intimidate and silence anyone who might speak up in defense of human rights in Turkey, including all independent civil society groups.”

For an additional $1 of personal income tax revenue collected by the federal government, $2.86 is lost in economic activity because of less investment, less entrepreneurship, less spending and other behavioural changes that shrink the tax base.

Open Society Foundations president Mark Malloch-Brown reacts to a Turkish court decision to sentence business leader Osman Kavala to life in prison despite the lack of credible evidence to substantiate the baseless charges against him.

Fraser Institute study

OBSERVER EDITORIAL

Planning process should favour the public interest

M

unicipalities calling for an end to the unaccountable provincial appeal system to planning issues have a long history of costly, undemocratic processes to bolster their case.

The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) was formerly the Ontario Municipal Board and, briefly, the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). It’s theoretically a venue for those who feel a municipal council made a bad decision to seek a neutral, third-party adjudication. In practice, the process favours corporate interests, often overriding the will of local residents.

There are cases, of course, where citizens have used the process to contest local decisions that favour, say, a developer or gravel pit operator, but those are the exceptions.

For its part, Woolwich is looking for changes to the OLT rather than scrapping it outright. Councillors this week called on the province to review the process in consultation with municipalities in order to eliminate red tape and to come up with alternatives to what can be a costly appeal process. In the last five years, for instance, the township has spent some $528,000 for tribunal hearings.

Woolwich would like to see more weight given to municipal decisions and planning policies in the appeal process, with limits placed on what can be challenged, for instance.

While individual municipalities can and do make bad decisions – we see then all the time – removing the ability of monied interests to simply keep pushing legal buttons until they get their way would be a good first step to overhauling the tribunal system. (While voters can ultimately penalize local politicians, legal recourse for citizens to recall politicians and seek compensation for bad decisions should be a priority, though that’s another matter.)

Township residents are certainly familiar with the appeal process when it comes to gravel pits, where the wishes of local people are overridden by an unaccountable provincial body.

The process is lengthy and costly, with the concerns of municipalities often swept aside by the MNRF and OLT. The municipality does all the work, but gets little for its efforts aside from a great deal of political grief, as we’ve seen in debates here previously.

To make matters worse, municipalities receive only a pittance in revenues from gravel operations. The cost-benefit analysis alone is reason enough to deny all applications. Aside from the process itself, gravel pits bring increased truck traffic that put residents at risk, create more wear-and-tear on the roads, bring environmental problems such as dust and noise, and threaten to despoil prime agricultural land and the accompanying vistas.

In the case of gravel pits and other unpopular developments, the argument is made that the process is necessary to prevent NIMBYism: if every decision sided with the public, nothing would ever get done, including some things that are necessary.

This attitude says the need for gravel overrides the health, safety and quality of life considerations of those who live near pits.

Eliminating the OLT and the appeal process makes sense in most cases, as its typically corporate pursuits looking to override the public interest. There are times, however, when the public uses the appeal process to challenge sometimes poor decisions by municipal councils. The two situations must be differentiated.

There is also good cause for ensuring planning power remains with the municipality – only when acting in the public interest, which isn’t a given – when it comes to dealing with the region, for instance. That, too, has been a longstanding concern in the township, which has seen the regional government take a heavy-handed approach in grabbing power through official plan reviews.

The priorities set by Woolwich should come first, not be constrained unduly by centralized power at the largely unaccountable upper tier, which isn’t much more responsive to the public than are provincial government agencies.

If the idea is to get planning closer to the people it affects, doing away with or reining in the OLT is a good first step.

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORLD EVENTS

Climate change hits southern Africa

T

ropical Storm Ana in January, Tropical Cyclone Batsirai in February, then Dumako, Emnati and Gombe in quick succession: three cyclones and two ‘tropical storms’ in six weeks hitting the coasts of south-east Africa.

Then Cyclone Idai in lateMarch, which practically destroys the city of Beira in Mozambique, killing more than 750 people. Three weeks later Subtropical Depression Issa hits South Africa’s east coast, killing 450 people in the greater Durban area. Literally millions made homeless in Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa in three months.

And the point is that just five years ago there were only one or two of these storms a year in the region. Fifteen years ago, the average was not even one per year. “It is telling us that climate change is serious, it is here,” said South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa. Well spotted, sir. Bit late, though.

Cyclones in the Indian Ocean, typhoons in the western Pacific, hurricanes in the Caribbean – it’s all the same beast, just different names. Likewise ‘tropical storms’ and ‘subtropical depressions’ – same beast again but with a lower wind speed.

Still enough to tear the roof off your shack, though, and maybe drown you if you live up on the

GWYNNE DYER

Global Outlook on World Affairs

side of a ravine.

What’s astonishing is how surprised they all are when the future that the scientists and the campaigners have been predicting for years finally arrives.

Didn’t they get the memo?

It’s not rocket science. When the global temperature rises, it warms the surface of the ocean.

When the sea surface is above 26.5 degrees Celsius (80°F), it has enough energy to fuel hurricanes/cyclones/typhoons. The western Indian Ocean is now above that temperature in the late summer and early autumn (January-April), so of course it’s spawning cyclones.

Southern African politicians are not particularly derelict in this regard. The entire political profession is congenitally unable to focus on the long term for more than 20 minutes at a time, because the pressures to fix the short-term problems are overwhelming. It is not a glitch in the political process; it’s a feature.

There’s no point in talking to Japanese or Jamaican politicians about this, because they are inured to the fact that they will get hit by these devastating tropical storms from time to

time. They know – or think they know – that there’s nothing you can do about it except build better sea defences and stronger shelters. But they may be wrong.

People say you can’t do anything about the weather, but it may actually be possible to weaken or even stop these storms. And maybe southern Africa is the place to try it, because they haven’t got used to a constant procession of violent tropical storms yet. They could even be open to the idea that they don’t have to get used to it.

Last year I interviewed a retired professor of engineering called Stephen Salter who began working on a project for cooling the climate several decades ago in collaboration with Prof. John Latham, a renowned climate scientist. Latham died last year, but the project is ready to start building prototypes, and it really might work.

The idea is to build a fleet of unmanned, wind-powered, satellite-guided vessels that position themselves under the low, thin clouds that are very common in tropical oceans – ‘marine stratocumulus clouds’ – and spray a fine mist of water that thickens them up so that they reflect more sunlight.

Reflect more sunlight and you cool the whole planet – but →DYER 8

Thursday, April 28, 2022 | THE OBSERVER

OPINION | 7

The ideal cancel culture would be quitting social media

E

lon Musk’s plan to spend $44 billion acquiring Twitter probably doesn’t involve making it better, at least not in terms of mitigating the harms of social media. If he succeeds in making it a private company, it would be subject to rules of his own making, his and his alone.

We don’t know exactly what that might mean, but we are already well aware of the predominantly negative impact of social media, especially its use as a tool of misinformation and divisiveness. The technology can be and is the enemy of facts, and the opposite of considered thought.

That may be why Chris Licht, who next month takes over as head of CNN, has vowed to forego his Twitter account.

“May 2 will be my first official day in the office at CNN & my last day on Twitter,” he tweeted last week. “Twitter can be a great journalistic tool, but it can also skew what’s really important in the world. I’m logging off & looking forward to working with the incredible team at CNN.” The technology has its positive uses, but is largely employed for non-productive purposes, whether that’s mindless, ill-considered abdication of personal privacy or outright falsehoods for profit and/or political gain.

Such is the technological prison that we’ve built for ourselves, allowing companies and the authorities to invade our lives despite their ill intentions ... and gleefully joining in by not making even the simplest attempts at protecting our privacy.

At a time when governments are increasingly bent on taking away our privacy and other rights, we’re often our own worst

STEVE KANNON

Editor's Point of View

enemies when it comes to exposing ourselves to the world, literally, in many cases.

For young people in particular, the tendency to post the details of their lives on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites comes with a host of perils.

Even young people are starting to become aware of that. While social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, are popular for sharing photos and other aspects of people's lives, many users are worried that their postings could have an impact on their job prospects. Such young social media users think that something they posted could come back to haunt them.

A form of "day-after

STEVE KANNON

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compelled to post the up-to-the-second minutia of their lives, there’s a danger of what you post being used against you.

There’s an obvious peril to posting about illicit acts – not uncommon, if not bright – but a less obvious risk comes with not-criminal-but-damning posts sought out by prospective employers. In fact, people going in for interviews are now sometimes asked for Facebook login names and passwords right on the spot so that the interviewers can poke around their online lives.

Already a dubious phenomenon, the ironically named social media sites – led by the likes of Facebook, Twitter and a thousand variants of Instagram and Pinterest – has descended into little more than partisan flame wars, blatant marketing and outright propaganda.

Coupled with the

undermining of privacy – embraced by governments not the least bit eager to protect their citizens – the sorry state of affairs should leave no one upset if they all suddenly went away tomorrow. Such would be a reason to rejoice, in fact.

There’s very little social about such sites, at least in the conventional human sense of the word. The occasional use is one thing – though the sites, along with the ubiquitous Google, are mining data, joined by the likes of the NSA – but there are many people, many of them young, who spend too much time and think too little of the consequences.

More than just too much information, poor judgment and bullying, such time spent online has societal implications.

The tech companies are developing increasingly sophisticated tools for

Adhering to an "if you build it they will come" philosophy, the region pays no mind to taxpayers' wallets.

Founded in 1996.

JOE MERLIHAN

remorse" seems to be evident. An increasing number of users say that they have removed or taken down a photo or other social media posting because they feared it could lead to repercussions with an employer.

But just because you delete something you’ve posted, that doesn’t mean it’s gone. Chances are it’s been captured by archiving sites and will live on, perhaps longer than you do.

Internet sites like Facebook exist to harvest information, sell it to advertisers and target you with personalized ads.

Tracking is the norm, as is collecting as many details as possible of what each of us does online. There’s nothing neutral about most of it: this is not just a sociology study, though, of course, it’s that too.

Leaving aside the issue of why exactly people feel

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gathering up large swathes of online data – the things you post and like on Facebook, for instance – in order to both predict your behaviour and to sway it.

This goes beyond targeted advertising, which is itself somewhat problematic.

Even those who helped develop social media sites and software are warning of the perils of technology, particularly the tendency to addiction – intentionally programmed – and the loss of privacy. While such revelations are useful, they’re often followed by positing “solutions” that involve yet more technology, rather than actual solutions, such as laws forbidding data mining, collection of personal data and demanding rapid expiration of personal information, under penalty of civil and criminal charges.

That, however, is beyond the pale, as governments are the leading violators of your privacy.

At this point, expecting governments and tech conglomerates to fix the problems they’ve created by intent is like putting the Big Bad Wolf in charge of building houses for the Three Little Pigs. The proposed “remedies” for the ills of social media – taking spa day breaks from your smartphone to counter addiction or installing additional apps to tweak the phones security – are really just defences of the status quo.

Beyond selling us stuff and feeding us more click bait, the real dangers lie in using the data as part of a propaganda effort. There are plenty of people looking to use and abuse your personal information, in both the public and private sectors. There’s no need to make it any easier for them. Or to worry if Musk loses some or all of his $44 billion.

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022

8 | OPINION

Plenty of blame to share in making a bad call

I Blossom Maple Farms, founded in 1941 by Cliff Blossom heads a lucrative maple syrup cartel in Quebec. A shortage in 2021 of maple syrup led to price increases and reserves of 45 million kg being released.

A Canadian maple syrup heist involved over 9,500 barrels valued at $18 million stolen from a Quebec warehouse in 2011.

Coca-Cola celebrates the return of maple season in Quebec with the release of Quebec Maple, a Coke flavoured with maple syrup. ↆ LAST WEEK: Truth: Heartbreak Hotel has a list of significant accolades to its name and is credited as one of the songs that helped shape rock n’ roll. The song has been covered by everyone from Michael Jackson to Guns and Roses to Willie Nelson.

Truth: Colonel Tom Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk from the Netherlands) immigrated illegally to the US and reinvented himself claiming to be from West Virginia. His origin story was only publicly revealed in the 1980s.

Lie: Concerns about Elvis’s gyrating and rock music corrupting American teens le some to burn and hang Elvis in effigy after Elvis made his second appearance on Ed Sullivan. No hotline was established for teens for outreach.

You can play online by reading any online post at www.observerxtra. com. Vote for the lie and be notified if you are correct immediately.

DYER: Many good reasons to put such a project in the hands of Africans → FROM 6

you particularly cool the surface of the ocean under those clouds. There’s already a small team from Southern Cross University in Queensland experimenting with this technology as means of cooling the waters off north-eastern Australia and saving the corals of the Great Barrier Reef.

The big ‘named’ tropical storms typically form in well-defined areas of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans that are not unmanageably large for mobile fleets of spray-vessels. Just drop the sea-surface temperature by one degree or less, and most of the storms that are forming will never get big enough to earn a name.

It’s well worth a try, and maybe southern Africa is

new enough to this kind of weather to believe that it could be stopped. South Africa would have to take the lead, because that’s where most of the money and the scientific and engineering skills are, but it’s an issue that matters to the whole east coast of the continent.

In fact, it’s a technology that matters to the whole world. We will almost certainly need technologies to hold the global temperature down while we work to eliminate our greenhouse gas emissions, and this would be a relatively gentle, controllable and affordable form of geoengineering.

It would also be a project of global scientific and political importance led by Africans, which is something that is long overdue.

’m still not sure who to sue. I haven’t decided if it should be Bell Canada for providing the phone service or Apple for providing the phones.

Or my friend Ron for malicious phone use. All I know is that the lawsuit will be primarily for emotional distress and phone-inflicted trauma.

What happened?

Well, I was turkey hunting on opening morning and was calling two stubborn gobblers for quite a while, when they suddenly decided to come in hot and heavy, basically competing with each other to get to my hen decoys.

I had eased into position and had my gun up when I caught a glimpse of the first one’s head as he cleared the rise. In four or five more steps he would have been in a clear shooting lane and my day would have been finished by 6:59 a.m.

How do I know it was 6:59 a.m.?

STEVE GALEA

Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

Easy. Before those steps were taken, my phone rang – and it said 6:59 a.m. And, if you think a phone is loud in the house, wait until you hear it in the woods when there is no other sound but the footfalls of rapidly retreating wild turkeys and the quiet weeping of a grown man.

I have never hated a phone ringtone so much as “Dada dahhhh, dada dada dada dahhhh da da….”

After shaking my fist to the heavens and yelling “Why?!” I hung up without answering.

But not before noting that my friend Ron was the culprit. At 6:59 a.m.

On a Monday morning.

On the opening day of turkey season.

To be clear, Ron has never called me this early before, unless we were

coordinating where to meet for a fishing trip.

But we were not doing that.

Instead, Ron was calling to return my call from two days ago. So – and I can only assume it is because he is a turkey sympathizer – he decided to call at 6:59 a.m. Did I mention that already?

His timing could not have been more damaging. Had he called a mere three seconds later, he would have been the first one to hear about the gobbler I just shot.

Instead, he heard a lot of other things when I returned his call later that day.

Among them: “Who calls at 6:59 a.m.?” and “#@$!!!! ...and another thing! $%#@@#!”

I know what you are thinking. I should sue Ron. Really, I feel like Apple should be sued first.

There is not a single warning label on their phones that says “Caution: calling

your friend at 6:59 a.m. on opening day of turkey season could be hazardous to your health.”

And secondly, there are no “Turkey season ringer shut off ” buttons on any of their phones, which is clearly negligent.

I also believe that Bell is to blame in many ways too. They have the technology to ensure that incoming calls to turkey hunters on opening day can be blocked. They just choose not to use it.

I know. I should have turned off my phone. But, honestly, in the excitement of opening day, I forgot. And, since I am 60, that is a legitimate excuse. So too is the belief that, “No one is going to call me at 6:59 a.m.”

I know, I know. I should sue Ron too. But he is my friend. Plus, I was a little harsh with him too.

And I feel bad about that.

I’ll probably call him to apologize on Sunday morning.

At 6:59 a.m.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Cleanup of Canagagigue Creek long overdue To the Editor, The information in Leah Gerber’s article about the draft risk assessment on the Canagagigue Creek, in the April 21 issue of the Observer, is accurate.

However, the headline – “Testing shows creek poses no unacceptable risk to humans” – is misleading. It implies that there’s scientific proof of no risk. That is certainly not the case.

It would be more accurate to word the headline

Cleanup efforts could use more helping hands To the Editor, After missing a cleanup last year, South Field Drive in Elmira had accumulated a lot of trash, largely plastic that floats into the storm sewers, and breaks into millions of micro plastics on its way to Lake Erie

this way: “The draft risk assessment concludes creek poses no unacceptable risk to humans.” This is not just a silly quibble about wording. Risk assessments draw conclusions based on assumptions and value judgments as well as scientific tests. And these assumptions are open to question.

The actual tests – that is, samples of sediment and soil analyzed for contaminants in the lab – show “hot spots” in and along the creek. These spots show levels of DDT and dioxins many, many times higher than levels defined as protective of human and ecological health.

However, the assumption in the risk assessment is that because the farming population along the creek is small, the chance of people being exposed to these highly toxic spots is limited. So no action need be taken.

APT Environment questions that assumption.

What if the future brings development along the creek, increasing the population and the risk of exposure? In the fastest growing region of Canada, desperately in need of housing, this is not unlikely. Then this assessment and its assumption that land use is static becomes invalid.

DDTs and dioxins persist

and the big oceans.

Seven volunteers (five old ladies and two eco-warrior teenagers) picked up 40 bags of trash, ate a box of granola bars, congratulated each other on their accomplishment, and went home by 11:30 Saturday morning. I had a nap immediately. Thank you to TWEEC for organizing this cleanup each year.

I was one of the old ladies and I whined all the

way, but felt it was important to help out where I could, on Earth Day. The organizers were nice to me anyway.

No grown men helping out. Not an elected official in sight. No press to record Elmira’s 53rd Earth Day activity. Hmmm ... is appealing to people’s good nature working out?

Exercise your freedom of expression with relevant discourse in your community.

in soil for decades and decades.

And what about the intrinsic value of improving our water quality for its own sake, as well as for all the creatures who depend on it? Our creek, like the Elmira aquifers, will never be pristine. Yet after decades of abuse, it’s only right to grab the opportunity to scoop out the worst spots, making what reparations we can.

The most toxic deposits in our creek are small areas, relatively few, and easily accessible. Let’s get them out once and for all.

Susan Bryant WATERLOO

Taking stock of potholes To the Editor, There is a picture of main street Elmira from around 1912 in the April 23/22 Waterloo Region Record. Doesn't look like there were any potholes then.

Sandra Bray ELMIRA

Write a letter to the editor and submit it online today. observerxtra.com/letters

Erling Andersen ELMIRA

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 9

Business

Leading the way.

Shining a light on local enterprise, stoking the economic engines.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com New Business: observerxtra.com/enterprise

Hydro board rep.

Construction ahead

Woolwich council this week approved the appointment of Conestoga Meat Packers president Arnold Drung to the Waterloo North Hydro Holding Corporations board of directors until the board merged WNH and Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro is formed. Drung will represent the townships of Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich on the new board when the merger is completed.

Preparing for the reconstruction of Greenhouse Road, planned for 2024, Woolwich council this week approved a $156,000 contract to AECOM Canada Ltd. to provide engineering services for the project. The approval also cleared the way for negotiations with landowners for the purchase of property to allow for the widening of Greenhouse and Kramp roads.

St. Jacobs business completes sale to employees Former majority shareholders of Quarry Integrated Communications complete transition to new ownership group Bill Atwood Observer Staff

ST. JACOBS-BASED QUARRY INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS didn’t have far to go in changing hands: the company was acquired by long-time employees in a deal that closed earlier this month.

It was a “win-win-win deal,” says Alan Quarry, former chair and majority shareholder of the company.

“The Quarry clients, shareholders and team will all benefit from this well-organized transition,” Quarry said.

The company was founded by Quarry’s father, Bob Quarry, in 1973.

Alan joined in 1983 and bought out his father five years later.

“The thing that I’m most proud of is the people

that we’ve employed have risen to be at the top of their field. We’re recognized as being in the top 15 b2b [business to business] advertising agencies in North America, and we’ve done that with mostly homegrown talent,” Quarry said in an interview.

“It’s just really something to help people succeed and to help companies like FedEx in the United States. It has been really great to work with those clients across North America,” he said.

The buyout sees Quarry along with two other shareholders, Glen Drummond and Ken Whyte, resign their roles as board members. The three will no longer participate in the company. The move sees Tony Mohr, Meredith Fuller, Mandey Moote and Richard Hill each

Quarry Integrated Communications employees Mandey Moote, Tony Mohr, Meredith Fuller and Submitted Richard Hill have taken ownership of the company.

take a 25 per cent stake in the company. While the actual sale was made in October 2020, the ownership succession plan was completed this month According to Quarry, there have been several offers from larger firms to buy the company over the last 15 years. None was accepted.

“Those are interesting opportunities. I soon found, though, that the other companies were most interested in buying our cash flow, our sales figures to include in theirs, and I felt the strongest loyalty to the people that built the Quarry company and decided that it would be better for myself and two other shareholders to sell into younger people at Quarry,” he said. “[The previous owners] very much created a → QUARRY 10

Inflation is hammering everyone – including farmers

M

y students in a class called public information campaigns are creating three-month initiatives to put farmers’ role in the rising cost of food in perspective.

These are hypothetical campaigns, but the motivation is real: farmers are vulnerable to undue criticism about their contribution to inflationary food prices.

I’m sure similar efforts are underway elsewhere.

Farmers are easy targets for pass-the-buck ridicule.

They’re not bankrolled like multi-national food manufacturers, processors and retailers. That disparity prompted the class to consider what a campaign would look like if a marketing agency was approached by a farm organization concerned about a balanced public portrayal of its members.

Farmers’ image, high in public trust polls, is worth

OWEN ROBERTS

Food For Thought

investing in, and preserving. When people think of food, they think of farmers.

And they think highly of them. We know so, because research from organizations such as Grassroots Public Affairs, outlined here recently, shows the public has huge trust in farmers.

Elmira Farmers Market is opening

Saturday May 7th

A challenge with this type of campaign is that the topic is a moving target.

That makes campaigning more given to a relatively short-term approach right now, until prices settle.

New information comes forward weekly that adds more light to the picture, that can help consumers understand what’s up and put it in context. Public information campaigns strive to educate and explain, and as far as

food prices go, a better understanding is vital for consumers to see the big picture.

The latest information I’ve seen is from the US. Missouri extension business specialist Jason Morris reports that while farm profits are forecast to rise more than 15 per cent above last year, inflation knocks predicted profits down by more than seven percent.

That’s an actual reduc-

tion of $9.7 billion in net farm income.

Morris points out that farmers shell out non-stop for what are called “inputs,” like seed, feed, fertilizer and chemicals, not to mention fuel.

So do other parts of the food production chain.

No one is immune to such necessities as fuel cost spikes, especially those involved in food transportation. And everyone is → ROBERTS 10

#WoolwichProud

at 8:00 a.m.

Specializing in local products.

New Vendors Welcome!

For more information call

519-504-1925

6 Arthur St. N., Elmira (off of William St) in the old Freiburger’s parking lot Any questions feel free to call and ask Allan @ 519-504-1925

The Woolwich Wildcats U13A team would like to thank everyone in the community that supported their OHF run in Cochrane, ON this past weekend. Silver it is. #WoolwichProud

10 | B U S I N E S S

Getting back among our furry friends

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022

After pandemic-led hiatus, the Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo Stratford and Perth reopens its doors to visitors Leah Gerber Observer Staff

IT’S TIME TO GET YOUR fill of wags, barks, scratches, licks and whiskers, because after two years weathering the pandemic, the humane society is fully re-opening to the public.

This means people can come and visit the animals (though preferably with an appointment), kids programs and activities are starting again, the annual fundraiser gala and other in-person fundraisers are back on, and the society is looking for more foster homes, volunteers and adopters.

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo Stratford and Perth sees thousands of animals a year. In 2019, nearly 3,000 animals came through the

doors, said Calla James, the director of community engagement and outreach.

When the pandemic first hit, staff at many humane societies prepared to receive more animals than usual due to people’s livelihoods being affected by the pandemic, or because people might have bought a pet for which they couldn’t care, said James.

But, “that’s actually not what we’re seeing,” she said. Instead, the pandemic sparked interest in the society’s work and foster program. In 2019 the society had 67 foster families, but that number has since grown to 185.

The pandemic did impact the organization’s funding. It receives no government funding, and is dependent on donations and revenue-generating

Meadow the kitten.

Leah Gerber

activities, said James. “[The pandemic] was definitely a moment of [asking] how we’re going to pivot, that word of 2020, to make sure that we can still have our funding initiatives,” she said.

“We value and need people’s support however they can give it,” said James. This includes the

gift of time. “Now that we’re coming out of the pandemic, we can look at volunteer roles.

“We’re always looking for fosters.”

Currently the organization is especially looking for rabbit foster families.

After the first weekend of April, staff at the Kitchener location came to work to find five rabbits abandoned on the property. Another was found two days later in a nearby truck engine.

“Thankfully we were able to get it out safely,” said James.

Those rabbits brought the total to 44 stray and surrendered rabbits to the society so far in 2022, with another 34 on a waiting list for spots. Typically the society might receive 80 stray or surrendered rabbits in a year.

QUARRY: Deal was seen as best fit after turning down a number of offers → FROM 9

culture, a unique culture and a way of doing business that they wanted to preserve and they wanted to leave a legacy related to that and rather than selling out, as they called it, to a large multinational conglomerate,” said Mohr who has been Quarry’s president and CEO since 2007.

Mohr said he is excited for the company to grow in more than just a financial sense.

“There are several frontiers that we want to

grow in. Certainly there is a kind of growth with our clients in terms of adopting and adapting leading edge marketing practices that’s continuously what we work with our clients to do. We’re known as a firm that adopts what’s next in b2b marketing and helping our clients leverage new ways of new approaches to marketing new technology, new sources of data so that we can help them grow their businesses so I’m very excited about the trajectory that we’re on with

that,” he said.

One thing the new ownership is not planning on changing is the name.

“We have a very well established brand. We’re known throughout North America as a top b2b agency. We’re proud of the brand and it’s a brand that’s well known. We would advise our clients the same advice, that when you’ve poured that many years of investment into building a strong brand equity don’t fix what’s not broken,” he said.

Alan Quarry says he has several interesting projects he’s continuing to work on.

He founded the non-profit HeartBeatsHate in 2017.

“It’s a movement across North America where we’re working to let people know that there’s a choice.

You choose either love or hate and we think the better choice is to choose love, not hate. And so we’re working with lots of kids… because we’re looking to attract a younger audience, because that’s where we need to have the most influence,” he added.

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Other services the humane society provides to residents include help to source pet food and litter, very low cost or even full coverage for spaying and neutering cats and dogs, especially cats and barn cats, and veterinary services including microchipping, rabies clinics or cremation services.

The society also provides accessible vet outreach for community members in need, and emergency boarding services for people experiencing an emergency and need help to care for their pets.

Also on offer is a transfer program to find homes for dogs from places with high dog populations across North America, such as Northern Ontario or the southern United States.

Between the Kitchener and Stratford locations,

the agency has two surgical suites with threebed capacity, one x-ray machine and one dental x-ray machine. There are three full-time vets, seven supporting staff and access to specialty surgeons, said James.

Besides facilitating adoption, helping people afford care for their animals and providing veterinary services, the humane society also runs events and activities including birthday parties, vets-in-training clubs for kids and teens, virtual drop-in sessions for teens to learn about animal advocacy, yoga with cats, summer camps, PD Day and holiday activities and even paint nights.

“We want people to know, we are your humane society. Please call us,” said James.

ROBERTS: Looking to explain food prices from the farmers’ perspective → FROM 9

passing on their increased costs to consumers.

Morris says some of those costs are now affecting what farmers plant. Even though they’re getting sky-high prices for some commodities, farmers are reluctant to plow all kinds of money into certain crops that need a lot of costly nitrogen fertilizer, such as corn for example.

So if growing corn is less affordable than other crops and consumer prices rise because supply drops, is

that farmers’ fault?

And up to this point, we haven’t even mentioned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its impact on the input prices.

This is a tough assignment for my students – not intentionally so, but important for preparing for real-world situations they could encounter when they graduate and start working in communications.

They need to be ready, and explaining food prices from farmers’ perspective is a job that must be done.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 11

Rural Connections

A harvest of local farming innovation.

Connect to the land.

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 103 Tips: observerxtra.com/tips

Recycling aims

Seasonal work underway

Cleanfarms, which operates the agricultural “blue box” for farmers, is aiming for the return of more empty single-use jugs than last year. In 2021, Canadian farmers returned more than 6.2 million small empty containers, up 12.5% over the year before, closing in on 80% of containers in the marketplace.

The goal is now 100%, says the organization.

Approximately 4,000 workers from Mexico and the Caribbean have already arrived at Ontario farms and greenhouses this year through the internationally acclaimed Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) as a supplement to local labour. In total, roughly 18,000 workers are expected to be placed at about 1,150 Ontario farms this growing season.

Meals in the metaverse a new frontier for restaurants?

Potential crossover between real food world and a virtual one in the metaverse can help companies look at the market differently

S

ome restaurants are looking for new ways to re-engage with a market heavily affected by a two-year-old COVID19 pandemic.

Restaurants have done a lot of juggling over the last two years: redefining menus, thinking of new ways of connecting with customers, pivoting to a positive future. It’s been nothing short of impressive.

One approach gaining some traction is to look at a new market: the metaverse.

Yes, there has been lots of hype about the metaverse, also known as augmented reality.

And it’s providing new opportunities for the food service industry.

Talking about the metaverse today is like explaining what the Internet was in the 1970s.

Few knew then how the technology would escalate and scale to change

how we communicate and how we live.

The metaverse is a virtual world that continues to exist and evolve even if you’re not around by way of some virtual reality device. You can get in and out while the world carries on. You can create, buy and sell goods.

And you can order and virtually eat food in a digital economy. You obviously can’t physically eat food in the metaverse, but there are numerous other things you can do that you can’t do in the real world.

In the more idealistic concepts of the metaverse, it’s interoperable, allowing anyone to take virtual items like clothes or cars from one platform to another. You can make money and get credits to purchase things in the real world. It’s all very fascinating.

American restaurant chain Chipotle recently

teamed up with online platform Roblox to have users create meals that earn credits for real food. When they began inviting people to join their restaurant in the metaverse and collect credits for their next Chipotle order by receiving special codes, more than 20,000 people were waiting to get in.

McDonald’s recently announced that it intends to open restaurants in the metaverse. Wendy’s and Hooters have also made announcements in the last few days.

In Canada, Restaurants Canada launched a metaverse marketplace for its industry, a trend hunter partnership to revive the food service industry. It will be launched in May. We expect other chains to follow suit over the next several months.

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THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022

12 | R U R A L C O N N E C T I O N S

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It’s still unclear, however, how the metaverse will change our lives or how restaurants can make money selling food virtually. It may be that it will come and go, like many other things in life.

However, the potential crossover between the real food world and a virtual one in the metaverse can help companies look at the market differently. Think about how employees can be trained or how chains can try new menu

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another reason so many are talking about cryptocurrencies. Many expect the two will rely heavily on each other as they develop.

For example, Crypto Baristas aims to bridge the gap between the physical and virtual worlds for coffee lovers. Not only does it bring coffee fans together in the metaverse, but the project is funding an actual coffee shop in New York City called Coffee Bros., which partners with coffee farmers from around the world.

It’s all done with cryptocurrencies.

Most Canadians may not buy into this metaverse concept. Food is food, and you either order it from a restaurant or cook your own. In other words, sticking to the basics.

And let’s face it, wear-

ing virtual reality headsets can be a pain and look silly. Some people may even experience motion sickness while wearing them, and there’s nothing pleasant about that.

The online world is different than before the pandemic, especially in the food industry. There’s more business and more traffic, so converting some of that traffic into a virtual world isn’t as hard as two years ago.

It isn’t that expensive for restaurants to join the metaverse, and the possibilities are intriguing. If this helps our food service sector get back on its feet, all the power to them. ↆ Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

Grain Farmers of Ontario calls for action on supply-chain challenges

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items. Experiences can be changed in a way they can’t right now.

For example, the metaverse could offer consumers a chance to eat breakfast in Istanbul, lunch in Paris and dinner in Rio on the same day.

Or, on a more personal level, you could go to a family restaurant and be served by your ancestors and experience the food they ate many years ago.

Most of the industry’s research and development can occur in the metaverse. It may not be real food, but you’re in with avatars representing real people who will tell companies what they like and dislike. The metaverse can be limitless but, of course, how consumers react to experiences can bring loads of unpredictability.

The metaverse is also

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G

rain Farmers of Ontario, the province‘s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario‘s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers is calling on all parliamentarians to step-up action on supply chain challenges facing this year’s planting season and the food supply.

This is a critical time for farmers, the organization says. The availability of fertilizer and escalating costs of inputs are causing great concern for Ontario grain farmers as they prepare to plant their crops this spring.

What is planted today will have a direct impact on what grain is available at harvest time to feed people and livestock. Policymakers, farmers, and other stakeholders in the agriculture value chain need to work together to respond to the food crisis that is unfolding around the world because of the tragic situation in Ukraine. Farmers are poised to plant their crops to maximize their production, but action needs to be taken immediately by governments to avoid long-term consequences to the food supply system, says GFO chair Brendan Byrne.

“We are driven to produce as much grain as we can, not only for our own province but for the world. We can’t do this without the full support of our government and industry partners.

Farmers need immediate access to input supplies including fertilizer and with fair pricing.”

Farmers are experiencing challenges securing fertilizers and prices are uncertain, with only a few weeks away from planting season there is only a small window right now to get the inputs farmers need in place to grow a full crop this year, crops that will be more critical than ever given the situation in Ukraine.

“It is important that inputs remain affordable,” said Byrne. “Farmers need to be able to continue the valuable work they do in providing a necessary resource that keeps food on the shelves and our communities fed.”

Grain Farmers of Ontario are asking governments to act to ensure needed fertilizer arrives on time: Ontario farmers know that sourcing fertilizer from the affected region is not

sustainable and is something that can be fixed going forward with new technology, innovation, and new sources, but this is not something that can be addressed in the time frame farmers have right now, says the organization.

Grain farmers are asking the federal government to use everything they have in their toolbox to help make sure fertilizer arrives in time for planting.

GFO is also looking for governments to ensure fair market prices: supply chain issues have created volatile markets and price escalations at a time when grain farmers need consistency to produce the grains needed to feed Ontario, Canada, and the world. Grain farmers are urging the government to employ common-sense solutions that would increase the availability of fertilizer products and provide needed relief.

Financial supports will also be needed: During the pandemic, farmers went to work in their operations each day despite uncertainty and a host of new challenges. Grain farmers need to know the government has their back. Financial supports need to be explored as there is nothing within the current business risk management suite that will provide the support that farmers may need if worst-case scenarios are realized on prices for fertilizer and fuel.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 13

Arts

Back at the lake

Plethora of live music

Local stories that inspire.

The Hillside Festival has announced its lineup as it returns to performances at Guelph Lake. The list includes the Allison Lupton Band, Dan Mangan, Danny Michel, I, the Mountain, Kobo Town and Julian Taylor. The festival runs July 22-24.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com

www.hillsidefestival.ca

Maxwell’s in Waterloo sees the return tonight (Thursday) of its Indie Music Night Series, with performances by Pilot Project, Born Riot, Nexus Lights, and The Boys & I. On Friday, it’s The Blushing Brides with a tribute to the Rolling Stones. Saturday, David Wilcox plays a sold-out show.

Read a local best seller every week.

www.maxwellswaterloo.com

Tips: observerxtra.com/tips

Orchestrating a return to regular programming Just getting back to in-person performances, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony unveils its 2022-23 season Steve Kannon Observer Staff

MARCH 2020 WAS A TUMULTUOUS time for KW Symphony music director Andrei Feher, as it marked the arrival of his first child ... and a little thing called the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lockdowns that followed the novel coronavirus allowed the conductor to spend much more time with his family, but kept him away from a live audience for almost two years. It wasn’t until February that the symphony added an in-person option to a protracted period of online performances.

Now, with last week’s announcement of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony’s 2022-23 season, Feher is looking forward to something like a return to normalcy, or as close to normal as ongoing precautions will allow.

“It’s just good to share all this with someone. for sure,” said Feher of the return to in-person performances, noting there’s nothing like the magic of being in the moment of a live concert.

Feher will open the 202223 season in October with the Signature Series, the first performance of which features Brahms’ final symphony and the KWS commission of Upwell in collaboration with Toronto-based composer Jordan Pal and KWS Artist-in-resi-

dence Gurpreet Chana.

The following month, the series will pack “1001 Nights” all into one evening with Rimsky-Korsakov’s imaginative orchestral showpiece Scheherazade. Joining the KWS will be German pianist Joseph Moog for Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, a work showcasing brilliant virtuosity.

With La Traviata In Concert, the symphony will revisit one of Feher’s favourites.

“One of the highlights of mine three years ago was La Traviata in a concert version. We’re doing this again next year in February,” he said, noting the translation of an opera into an orchestral concert involves a great deal of work, as he discovered during the previous performance. “ There was a lot of details, and I worked so hard. I realized that you have to be working ahead when studying an opera normally, because there’s so much work,” Feher explained. “It was just an amazing experience because the hall was full and everybody appreciated it very, very much.”

Preparing for such performances takes months of preparation.

The key, he noted, is to let all of the details become so ingrained well ahead of time, then take a break before bringing a fresh

Andrei Feher leads the KW Symphony, which has just announcd its next season.

perspective to the work when getting ready to bring it to the audience.

“I’m experiencing this with any piece – the more you know something and you don’t think too much about it, you’ve digested it, it’s part of yourself. It becomes just a natural expression of what you want to do with it.”

For the Signature Series finale, the KWS launch into a fast and furious showcase of epic proportions! Ukrainian-Canadian pianist Serhiy Salov bursts with passion in Prokofiev’s ultra-virtuoso Piano Concerto No.2.

Shostakovich’s colossal Symphony No.10, widely viewed as a portrayal of the composer’s life in Stalinist Russia, has moments teeming with despair that ultimately ends in musical triumph.

The Pops Series opens

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with the reigning Queen of Classic Music, Thorgy Thor, who rose to fame on RuPauls’ Drag Race. Teaming up with conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser and other special guests, she wields her outrageous classical chops to create a theatrical show.

Shortly thereafter Canada’s top drama comes to musical life: see Murdoch, Dr. Julia Ogden, Inspector Brackenreid, Constable George Crabtree, and the entire cast on the big screen accompanied by music from Kitchener’s own Robert Carli performed live by the KWS in sync to one of the most beloved and musically rich episodes. Hosted by a member of the Murdoch Mysteries cast, you’ll also get an exclusive behindthe-scenes look! For the first time, Feher will lead the popular Yuletide

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Spectacular featuring the Waterloo Region Mass Choir, the Grand Philharmonic Choir and the Carousel Dance Company.

The new year will feature witches and wizards with The Magical World of Harry Potter and the legendary music of John Williams from across all the Harry Potter films.

Spring welcomes a first as Juno nominated Canadian singer-songwriter Tim Baker performs a collection of new releases and past hits in a brand new production with the KWS. The Baroque & Beyond Series will have you tour the world in four intimate concerts: Visit Buenos Aires with Bénédicte Lauzière, travel back in time for the ever-popular Christmastide performances, experience central Europe with Feher and join Bruce

McGillivray in Franz Joseph Haydn’s musical workshop as he invents the symphony and string quartet.

The full Family Series of concert experience is back for the new season: A range of entertaining musical journeys, preceded by lots of activities for youngsters in Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery and spread round the lobby at Centre In The Square.

Reaching young people, particularly through the schools, was one of the upsides of the pandemic-led shift to streaming performances, notes Feher.

Going online allowed for a wider audience than the in-person visits to schools, for example. “ We had a lot of feedback from schools because they enjoyed it so much, and the reach with the streaming was way bigger than our normal in-school concerts – you record something and you can send it everywhere. We had a lot of interesting feedback about that,” he explained.

“We could reach a lot more students and young people with those courses, so probably in the future we’ll try to have a hybrid or have some different projects, as we did in the last year.”

More information about the next season can be found on the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony’s website, www.kwsymphony.ca.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 14

Classifieds

Advertising

Placing a classified ad

Please call or email for display advertising quotes for Help Wanted, Auctions, Real Estate, Public Notices, Service Pro Directory and Obituaries.

All classified advertising is prepaid. Ads will be accepted in person, email, or phone during regular office hours. Deadline is Wednesdays by 10am. Order and pay online at: observerxtra.com/classifieds.

Seven days.

One paper.

A bestseller every week.

Family Album Notices: Order and pay for family announcement notices online at: observerxtra.com/order-family-album.

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 104 Email: ads@woolwichobserver.com Job Listings: jobs.observerxtra.com

Help Wanted

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Farm Services

BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS AGRICULTURAL Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; feed grade lime, 25kg. Delivered. Call George Haffner TruckFor Sale ing, 519-574-4141 or LAWN FERTILIZER 519-669-2045.

AND LAWN SEED FERTILIZER AND SEED Call George HaffGRAIN - AT COMPETIner Tr u c k i n g , tive pricing. Call 519-574-4141 or George Haffner Truck519-669-2045. ing, 519-574-4141.

Farm Equipment

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Rentals ELMIRA - AVAILABLE JULY 1. ATTENTION retirees/seniors.

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Garage Sales

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LAWN ROLLING RENTAL OR CUSTOM. Help Wanted 2 machines available. continues Bomag 2600 lb or Wackerneuson 2000 on page 15 & lb. Delivery available.

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Trades & Services

Help Wanted

page 19

SEASONAL HELP WANTED Lorentz Farms Ltd.

Mill operators and night shift loader tractor driver/general labourer needed.

Some equipment operation required.

Call 519-575-8441 or 519-577-2889

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We are looking for a full time, permanent

Kitchen Cabinet Installer to join our team. In this position you would be working with one of our install teams installing high quality custom kitchens and stairs. In this position you would be reporting to our Install manager.

Required skills • Respectful • Ability to read blueprints • Cabinet building experience will be an asset • Cabinet install experience will be an asset • Motivated and enthusiastic • Courteous and friendly • Dependable • No post secondary education required This position is full time, with benefits after probationary period.

If you are interested in joining a vibrant and growing company, please send your resume to laverne@woodlandhorizon.com or call 519.638.5961 to set up an interview.

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• Framing • Timber Framing • Trim Carpentry Apply by email at: info@estatebuilders.ca Or call 519-503-0786

Full Time and/ or Part Time Position On farm by Gadshill, ON

Farm equipment operator and general farm labourer; operating firewood processer, also truck driver for firewood business.

Some shop work included. Being mechanically minded would be an asset, with minimum AZ restricted driver’s license. Can train for license. Living quarters available.

Call James Gerber 519-274-1984 Collin Gerber 519-274-1236 No Sunday calls please

Thursday, April 28, 2022 | THE OBSERVER

ↆ R E A L

C L A S S I F I E D S | 15

E SAT E

SELLING? CALL US FOR A FREE MARKET EVALUATION. Sue From

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SALES REPRESENTATIVE

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42 Oakcliffe offers so much curb appeal with a covered front porch and oversized garage! Step into a large front entryway that flows naturally into the open concept main floor. Get excited about the dream kitchen boasting ample cabinetry, a wrap-around breakfast bar, tile & ceramic backsplash, tile flooring, and an open design.

Cozy up next to the corner fireplace in your living room or take a walk out the large sliding glass doors, right off your dinette, to enjoy the fenced backyard with a stamped concrete patio. The convenient main floor laundry and mudroom offer extra storage and access to the garage.

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KITCHENER - Looking for an exceptional family home in a great Kitchener neighbourhood? This home offers an open concept with a center island in the kitchen that opens to the dining and living room. Enjoy the living room with a centered gas fireplace and custom-built shelving. Impressive vaulted ceiling in the family room with a large Palladian window makes this home so bright and airy. Upstairs offers 3 good-sized bedrooms with a cheater ensuite bathroom and walk-in closet. The basement is awaiting your personal style with a laundry room and rough-in for a bathroom. Walk out from your living room to a large deck and fenced-in backyard. Furnace new in 2020 and Roof in 2017! With a 1.5 car garage and parking for 2 in the driveway, there is lots of room for you to enjoy.

So many amenities and all only minutes away including the Sunrise Shopping Center, Schools, Parks, the Huron Natural Area, Williamsburg, public transportation, and the Expressway. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!

We are so excited to share that Emily Minielly has joined the Elmira Remax Team! Emily brings a fresh and enthusiastic perspective as well as several years experience working in real estate law, which has given her the opportunity to learn how buying and selling your home works at every step of the way. She was born and raised in the Elmira area which offers her an understanding of the unique culture within this community. A love for this area kept her close - attending Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo to complete her Bachelors Degree and returning back to Elmira to work. Emily says "I believe what makes the community of Waterloo Region really special is the people ! I can hardly wait to bring my passion for homes and my love of people together in my real estate career!" If you would like to chat real estate with Emily, reach out to her at the email address above.

Jenna Martin a local in the Elmira community has joined Keller Williams Innovation Realty, Brokerage.

Jenna services Elmira, Kitchener - Waterloo, Wellington, Guelph and the surrounding areas.

"I was raised in the Elmira area, I am pleased to be here servicing the community I grew up in and helping people achieve their real estate goals".

BROKERAGE ACCREDITED SENIORS AGENT

Jenna Martin

Sales Representative

Listings Needed!

Thinking of Selling?

Office: 519-570-4447 | Direct: 519-760-2265 Jennamartinrealestate@gmail.com

Contact me today!

FREE

Help Wanted continued from Page 14

HOME EVALUATION

R.W. THUR REAL ESTATE LTD. Office: 519-669-2772 | Cell: 519-741-6231 45 Arthur St. S., Elmira | www.thurrealestate.com

NEW LISTING 10 Poffenroth Path, Elmira Freehold townhouse – joined only at the single attached garage. 3 bdrms upstairs w/master ensuite & walk-in closet. Main flr 2 piece. Eat-in kitchen with sliding doors to a newer deck & fenced spacious yard. Engineered hardwood in L.R. Finished rec rm. New MLS $699,900.00

Help Wanted

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Jones Feed Mills is a family owned and operated feed mill that produces quality feeds for livestock producers throughout Ontario.

Currently we have an opening for one full-time and one part-time Customer Service Representative at our retail store at our Heidelberg location.

Jones Feed Mills offers a pleasant working environment with a competitive employee benefit program.

Agricultural background is an asset.

Interested parties are requested to contact Matt Hogan at 519-698-2082 or email matt@jfm.ca

Responsibilities:

Broker of Record, MVA Residential

35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE YOU CAN RELY ON!

Call for details: 519-503-2753

FIND AUCTIONS ON PAGE 19

BRAD MARTIN

112 Oriole Pkwy, Elmira Space for lease - 1 unit available immediately. 1821 sq. ft. Front & rear access. Newly renovated. Lots of parking. $11.00/per sq. ft. plus C.A.M. MLS

CALL FOR YOUR

FREE MARKET EVALUATION

• Working in a fast paced, professional team environment with a day-day focus on assisting customers • Answer telephone inquiries and serve walk-in customers • Ability to accurately operate computer system to process transactions in a timely manner • Ability to lift 25 kgs • Practice safe working habits always

2755 Lobsinger Line, Heidelberg

The U11A Woolwich Wild team took home the silver medal at the OWHA provincials held in the GTA Apr. 8-10.

Submitted

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022

16 | C L A S S I F I E D S

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAST; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

Community Information Page

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

Phone:

519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820

After Hours Emergency:

519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT NOTICE OF HEARING TUESDAY, May 17th, 2022 at 4:30 P.M. Pursuant to the Planning Act and Ontario Regulations 197/96 and 200/96 take notice that the Committee of Adjustment for the Township of Woolwich will meet for the purpose of hearing all persons interested in support of or opposition to any of the following applications as described below.

Please note this will be a virtual meeting only and public attendance at the Township offices will not be permitted. Below is information on how you can submit comments, view or participate in the meeting. You may also contact the Committee Secretary by sending an email to planning@woolwich.ca or by phone at 519-669-6040 if you have any questions.

COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT APPLICATIONS MINOR VARIANCE APPLICATION A 11/2022 – Levi Frey, 2144 King Street North ZONE / USE: Agricultural / detached dwelling, welding/woodworking shop, livestock barns, driveshed and accessory structures PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting relief from Section 6.10.2 a) of the General Regulations to reduce the required building line setback adjacent to a road (King Street North) from 7.6 metres to approximately 5 metres to permit an addition to the dwelling for an accessory dwelling unit and attached garage. The 6.7 hectare property is located at the corner of King Street North and Three Bridges Road.

MINOR VARIANCE APPLICATION A12/2022 – On a Rock Christian School of Waterloo Region, 28 Katherine Street South, Winterbourne ZONE / USE: Institutional / private elementary school PROPOSAL: The applicant is requesting relief from Section 24.3.4 to reduce the required rear yard setback from 7.5 metres to approximately 3.6 metres to permit the installation of three classroom portables. The property is located at the corner of Katherine Street South and Peel Street in Winterbourne.

MINOR VARIANCE APPLICATION A 13/2022 AND CONSENT APPLICATIONS B 15/2022 and B 16/2022- Matthias Muller, 6 Covered Bridge Drive, West Montrose ZONE / USE: Settlement Residential (R-1 (f)) with flood plain regulations / single detached dwelling and accessory buildings PROPOSAL: The applicant is proposing to create a new residential lot and is requesting the following: Application B 15/2022 - to sever an irregular shaped portion of property having approximately 6 metres frontage on Covered Bridge Drive and an approximate lot area of 1,707 square metres, from 6 Covered Bridge Drive, for the purpose of creating a new residential lot.

Application B 16/2022 t to grant a 3.5 metre wide access easement, to be located on the north and west sides of the existing dwelling on the proposed severed lands in favour of the proposed retained lands.

The proposed severed lands, being 6 Covered Bridge Drive, will contain the existing single detached dwelling and an accessory building. The proposed retained lands contain a frame garage and will have approximately 8.8 metres frontage on Covered Bridge Drive and be approximately 11,205 square metres (1.1 hectare) in size.

Application A 13/2022 - Subject to approval of the above-noted consent applications the following variances are required: • relief from Section 8.3.3 a) to reduce the required lot frontage from 18 metres to approximately 6 metres for the proposed severed lands; • relief from Section 8.3.2 to recognize the existing lot width of the proposed retained lands at approximately 8.8 metres whereas 30 metres is required; and • relief from Section 8.3.3 a) to recognize the existing lot frontage of the proposed retained lands at approximately 8.8 metres whereas 18 metres is required.

As in-person meetings are not an option at this time, you can view or participate in the meeting as follows: • view the Committee of Adjustment livestream on the Woolwich Township YouTube channel at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOnLlF3Srk2gLEBjkq8pIMQ OR • participate by registering with the Committee Secretary on or before 12 noon on Wednesday May 11th. To register please email planning@woolwich.ca or phone 519-669-6040. When registering you must provide your name, phone number, email and the application number you would like to comment on. Once you are registered the Committee Secretary will forward information on how to connect to the Zoom meeting (i.e. zoom Wi-Fi login or conference call number).

If you are unsure whether or not you would like to speak at the meeting but want to listen and have the option to comment on a particular application, please register with the Committee Secretary (see above information). You will not be required to speak if you do not want to.

WHY REGISTER By registering staff can ensure that you are permitted access to the virtual meeting, we know which application you are commenting on and, can call on you at the appropriate time to comment if you wish to do so. As it is virtual, registering will provide a level of security that is necessary to prevent unwanted guests from disrupting the meeting.

Applicants and their consultants will be automatically registered and contacted accordingly by the Committee Secretary ahead of the meeting.

SUBMITTING COMMENTS If you would like to comment on a particular application, staff always recommend that you do so by: • submitting a letter by mail or delivering it to the Township office at 24 Church Street West, Elmira and placing it in the drop box on the Maple Street side of the building; or • submit an email to planning@woolwich.ca You can also contact the Township Planner at 519-669-6033 to discuss any comments / concerns however, this is not considered a formal comment.

The Committee will consider submissions for or against the applications. All submissions must be made no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday May 9th (Note that this date is before the meeting). Any submissions received will be included in a comment package and presented at the meeting. This information is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public at the Committee of Adjustment hearing. Please note that while the Committee may redact some personal information such as email addresses and phone numbers, your submissions will otherwise be made public in their entirety.

This notice has been sent to commenting agencies, and to owners of property located within 60 metres (200 feet) of the subject properties. If you wish to be notified of any last minute changes to the agenda (i.e. withdrawal of an application) you must contact the Committee Secretary at 519-669-6040 or 1-877-969-0094 (Ext. 6040) or by email to planning@woolwich.ca.

Notice of Decision: Within 10 days of the meeting, a copy of each decision will be sent to owners, agents, those who submit written comments, and people who register for the meeting. If you wish to be notified of the decision of the Committee of Adjustment in respect to this application, you must submit a written request to the Committee Secretary or register ahead of the meeting. This will also entitle you to be advised of a possible Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

Appeal of Minor Variance and Consent Applications: Anyone in opposition to a decision may appeal the decision to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. The Tribunal may dismiss an appeal without holding a hearing if the appellant did not make oral or written submissions to the Committee of Adjustment before a decision was given or does not provide a reasonable explanation for having failed to make a submission to the Committee.

QUESTIONS / FURTHER INFORMATION Please feel free to reach out to Township Staff by phone or email to assist you should you have any questions. Contact the Committee Secretary at 519-669-6040 or 1-877-969-0094 (Ext. 6040) or by email to planning@woolwich.ca

Thursday, April 28, 2022 | THE OBSERVER

C L A S S I F I E D S | 17

“PROUDLY REMEMBERING OUR PAST; CONFIDENTLY EMBRACING OUR FUTURE.”

Community Information Page

The Township of Woolwich has initiated a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study (Class EA) for a new consolidated facility to centrally locate the Township’s Operations and Maintenance Staff and equipment. The study will explore the benefits of new and shared facilities for staff and equipment, applying expected growth rates to these facilities to look at the long term viability of any alternatives reviewed. The results of this study are expected to provide the most efficient and cost effective solution to house the Operations and Maintenance staff and equipment, in one or multiple locations in the Township of Woolwich. This study will follow a comprehensive, sound and open planning process in order to recognize and accommodate all concerns for the alternative solutions to be evaluated.

The study will be conducted in accordance with Schedule “B” requirements as outlined in the Municipal Engineers Association “Municipal Class Environmental Assessment,” (October 2000, as amended to 2015). This is an approved process under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The Class EA process includes public/external agency consultation, an evaluation of alternative solutions and alternative design concepts, an assessment of potential impacts associated with the proposed improvements, and development of measures to mitigate identified impacts.

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Phone:

After Hours Emergency:

519-669-1647 or 877-969-0094 Fax: 519-669-1820

519-575-4400 www.woolwich.ca

Public, Indigenous and agency consultation with interested parties, including the public, businesses, and technical or regulatory agencies will form an integral part of this Class EA study to identify and address interests within the study area. A public consultation centre will be held during the study to provide an opportunity to meet with the project team, learn about the study, and to share feedback.

Upon completion of the study, a Project Report will be prepared and made available for public review and comment.

We want to hear from you. If you have any questions or concerns within the study area, want to know more about the study, or would like to join the project mailing list, please contact the project team: Ryan Tucker, P.Eng. Vince Pugliese, P.Eng. Engineering Supervisor Project Manager, Township of Woolwich MTE Consultants Inc 24 Church Street West 520 Bingemans Centre Drive Elmira, ON N3B 1M5 Kitchener, ON N2B 3X9 519-669-6048x 519-743-6500 vpugliese@mte85.com RTucker@woolwich.ca

TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY

ↆ P U Z Z L E

P.O. Box 158

24 Church St. W. Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6

Information will be collected in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, please note all comments will become part of the public record.

This Notice first issued April 28, 2022. https://www.woolwich.ca/en/township-services/engineering-public-notices.aspx

S O L U T I O N S S

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D O N O R

Your donation matters.

The Next Linwood Clinic: at Linwood Community Centre Friday, May 6, 2022 4 – 8 pm

It matters to every patient across Canada. Because it’s something we can do today to help others wake up healthier tomorrow.

Appointments are required to ensure physical distancing.

If you are feeling unwell or have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please reschedule

VILLAGE

HOME HARDWARE

Linwood | Heidelberg | Wroxeter

www.homehardware.ca

Proud to support the community effort to donate blood.

519-698-2082 | 1-800-265-8735 | www.jfm.ca

3865 Manser Rd., Linwood • 519-698-7575

1010 Industrial Cr., St. Clements • 519-698-2610 linwoodvet@linwoodvet.ca

5 6 % $ 1 < $ 1 6

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022

18 | C L A S S I F I E D S

ↆ LO CA L ↆ

P R O F E S S I O N A L

GENERAL SERVICES

CALL TO BOOK! TODAY.

Septic Installations · Tile Repairs Small Footings · Silo Footings

Maynard Martin

519-669-5557 Visit our website! countrymilebl.com Elmira, ON

Advertise your professional services to Woolwich, Wellesley and beyond.

519-502-8262 Elmira, ON

Tel. 519-699-0507

WHERE TIRES ARE A

SPECIALTY, NOT A SIDE LINE.

Farm • Auto • Truck Industrial On-The-Farm Service 35 Howard Ave., Elmira

519-669-3232

Visit us online to see our entire rental lineup.

Poultry Pest Management Thorncreek Farms

Pest control with residual built in Poultry Barn Pest Solutions

519-504-2698 Serving KW and surrounding area

Various sizes & rates

CLEAN • DRY • SECURE Call

519-669-4964

519-669-0524 www.woolwichrentals.ca 100 Union St, Elmira, Ontario

100 SOUTH FIELD DRIVE, ELMIRA

ↆ

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES

TIRE

ↆ

2512 Kressler Road RR1 St. Clements, ON N0B 2M0

• Window & Screen Repairs • Glass & Plexi Cutting • Key Cutting • Knife & Scissor Sharpening • Lawnmower Blade Sharpening • Paint Colour Matching • Interior Design Consultation • Bike Repair

GENERAL SERVICES

Reach local people at the right time every week.

ↆ

RK COUNTRY BUS LINES

IN-STORE SERVICES

MarCrest Backhoe

VAN, MINIBUS & WHEELCHAIR LIFT BUS TRANSPORTATION “Specializing in small group charters”

ↆ

S E RV I C E S

THOMPSON’S

Auto Tech Inc. Providing the latest technology to repair your vehicle with accuracy and confidence.

519-669-4400

HOME IMPROVEMENT

John Schaefer Painting FREE ESTIMATES Interior/exterior Painting, Wallpapering & Plaster | drywall Repairs

519-503-6033 (CELL) 519-669-2251

30 ORIOLE PKWY. E., ELMIRA

36 Hampton St., Elmira

- Design and build -

AGRICULTURAL | RESIDENTIAL FRAMING • ROOFING RENOVATIONS • EAVESTROUGHS

www.marwilconcrete.ca

Wayne Martin | 519-504-2016

519-577-0370

darwayconstruction@icloud.com | Alma, ON

HOME IMPROVEMENT COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL

ST. JACOBS

GLASS SYSTEMS INC.

INC

• Store Fronts • Thermopanes • Mirrors • Screen Repair • Replacement Windows • Shower Enclosures • Sash Repair

Randy Weber

ECRA/ESA Licence # 7000605

www.rwelectricltd.com TEL:

18 Kingfisher Dr., Elmira | 519.669.1462

AMOS R O O F I N G

1553 King St. N., St. Jacobs, ON N0B 2N0

• Residential • Commercial • Industrial

ↆ

Driveways • Sidewalks • Curbs Patios • Finished Floors • Retaining Walls • Steps • Decorative/Stamped and Coloured Concrete

• Specializing in residential re-roofs • Repairs • Churches A Family owned and operated business serving KW, Elmira and surrounding area for over 35 years.

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED

CALL JAYME FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE.

519-664-1202 / 519-778-6104 FAX: 519 664-2759 • 24 Hour Emergency Service

519.501.2405 | 519.698.2114 In Business since 1973 • Fully Insured

HOME IMPROVEMENT Since 1998

•Final grading •Lawn repair & complete seeding well equipped for large stoney areas •Spike Aerator/Overseeding •Natural & Interlocking Stone •Retaining Walls, Walks & Patios •Help for Top Water & Drainage issue

Murray & Daniel Shantz

ALMA, ONTARIO | PHONE: 519.846.5427

DESIGN CENTRE

• FLOORING • Custom KITCHENS • BATHROOM VANITIES • SICO Paint • Custom WINDOW BLINDS

KITCHEN, BATH & WINDOW FASHIONS

Blinds, shades, drapery & more • Custom cabinetry made in Canada Free In-home consultations • Our experienced designer will help you work within your personal taste and budget

Call someone you can trust - your local Home Hardware Popular Brands Available

BLANCO, MAAX, MIROLAN, STEEL QUEEN

www.LetUsFloorYou.ca

Hours: M-F 8:00 - 5:00 & Sat 9:00 - 3:00

Evenings By Appointment

1011 Industrial Cres. Unit #2 | TEL: 519.699.5411

Tel:

22 Church St. W., Elmira 519-669-5537 or 1-844-866-5537

STORE HOURS: MON-SAT 8-6, SUN Closed Find and follow us on FB and Instagram

Thursday, April 28, 2022 | THE OBSERVER

ↆ LOCAL SERVICES ↆ GENERAL SERVICES BOOKING FOR 2022

(ELMIRA)

Reach local people at the right time every week.

15,000 Observers are delivered to homes in Woolwich, Wellesley and Waterloo.

Call Donna Rudy at 519-669-5790 ext104 to find out how your business can book this space.

C L A S S I F I E D S | 19

Auction

ↆ FA M I LY

Kurtz Auctions Inc.

LIVE ESTATE AUCTION SALE DATE: Sat. May 7, @ 10:00 am

LOCATION: 5461, Hwy 86, 1km north of Guelph Auto Mall PREVIEW: Friday, May 6, 1-4 pm and sale day 9 am FURNITURE & Misc.: 9pc Washed Oak Dining Room Suite included Table & 2 leaves, 6 armed chairs & china buffet//6pc Solid Oak Bed Rm Suite with queen bed//Double Pine Poster Bed//2-Queen Ann Needle Point Chairs//5pc Maple Dinning table& 4 chairs// Sofa, Love Seat& End Tables//3pc Brown Colour Leather Sofa set// 2 Water Coolers//Fans//Kitchen Aid Mixer c/w all a�achments//Singer H-duty Sewing machine//New Croc Pots& other kitchen items//Toaster Ovens// Sausage Maker// 4 Bar Chairs// Quan�ty of good Dishes, Pictures, Lamps & Clocks//48” RCA Flat Screen TV// Collec�on of Nascar Cars & memorabilia//Lots not men�oned.

TOOLS & Misc.: 4 Gal shopvac//21” Greenworks Electric Lawnmower& Weed Eaters//Quan�ty of 8” Turf Tires on wheel//New work Mates//Trouble Lites// Carpenter Aprons//Socket Sets//Levels//Step Ladders//Pliers//Socket Adapter Sets//Offset Boxed wrench sets//Tape measures//Punch sets//Quan�ty of New Hammers various sizes//Tool boxes//32 pc Master Cra� combina�on Wrench Set//85pc Master Cra� Socket set//13 & 25 pc Screw Driver sets//Variety of New HD Extension Cords//Quartz Heaters//Kerosine Lanterns//Lots of Garden and hand tools//Invacare commode chair// Walker// Quantum Electric Mobility Chair c/w charger & extra Ba�ery *Note: This will be a full sale. Majority of tools items are s�ll in packages. Lots items NOT unpacked at �me of adver�sing.

A L B U M

Birthday

Obituary

Happy Birthday Mom!!

April 30, 1947 - April 30, 2022 You are loved, you are respected, you are admired, you are trusted, you are cared for and today especially we honour and celebrate you!!!

Wishing you the happiest of birthday’s!!

We love you dearly!!

Your Family!! Xoxo

Obituary

See www.kurtzauc�onsinc.caand h�ps://www.facebook.com/brian.kurtz.3950for photos and update on new items.

Terms: 10% buyer’s premium. Cash and/or Debit. Cheque with proper ID. Any announcements day of sale take precedence over ads.

Auc�oneer, Auc�on company or proprietors not responsible for accidents, injury, damage or loss of property on sale day.

Auctioneer: Kurtz Auctions Inc. 519-836-0342

Miller, Edwin

Notice of Pesticide Use Please be advised of the application of larvicide to the following locations for the control of West Nile Virus Vectors: • Catch basins • Sewage lagoons • Ditches and standing water Between June 1, 2022 and August 31, 2022, municipalities within the Region of Waterloo will be conducting a larviciding program under the authority of the Region of Waterloo Medical Officer of Health to prevent the development of mosquito larvae into vectors of West Nile Virus. Altosid Pellets (PCP #21809, pellet) or VectoLex WSP (PCP #28009, pouch) will be placed by hand into catch basins of storm drains within the Region. The larvicide VectoLex CG (PCP #28008, granular), may be applied to sewage lagoons, if larvae are present. The larvicides VectoBac 1200L (PCP #21062, liquid) or VectoBac 200G (PCP #18158, granular) may be applied to standing water throughout the Region, if larvae are present. All larvicide will be applied by licensed applicators or trained technicians employed by Pestalto Environmental Health Services following Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks guidelines.

For additional details on exact locations and dates of treatments, please call Region of Waterloo Public Health, Health Protection and Investigation at 519-575-4400 or Pestalto Environmental Health Services Inc. at 519-362-5185.

For information about West Nile: www.regionofwaterloo.ca/fightthebite

Exclusive gear

for newspaper readers

Martin, Elvina W. Passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at the age of 85. Beloved wife of Owen B. Martin for over 63 years. Dear mother of Noah (Darlene) of Fordwich, Aaron (Melanie) of Rainy River, Amos (Marlene) of Mildmay, Sarah (Paul) Sittler of Elmira, Elsie Martin of Wallenstein, Peter (Denise) of Elmira, Frank (Ginette) of Renfrew, Willis (Amy) of Arthur, and Doris (Rodney) Weber of Clifford.

Will be missed by 48 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren. Sister of Salome Martin, Elam (Luella) Martin, and sister-in-law of Nancy Martin, Melinda Martin, Reta Martin, Elmeda (Edwin) Sittler, Ivan (Salome) Martin, and Fern (Melvin) Weber. Predeceased by her parents Onias and Katie Martin, brother Amsey Martin, daughterin-law Lorene Martin, brothers-inlaw Christian Martin, Melvin and Melinda Martin, Melvin and Elvina Martin (Leander R. Martin), Leander B. Martin, Ira Martin, and Tilman Martin. Visitation was held from 1-5 and 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira. A funeral service was held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 24, 2022 at Floradale Mennonite Church, 22 Florapine Rd., Floradale. Interment followed in Floradale Mennonite Cemetery. ❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at St. Mary’s General Hospital, Kitchener, at the age of 94.

Ed was born in Woolwich Township on August 28, 1927. He was raised by his grandparents on a farm North of Elmira. On June 23, 1951, he married Adele Welke, and in 1956 they moved to William St. in Elmira where he spent the rest of his life. They were blessed with two children; a daughter Ruth and a son Wayne. Ed worked at Link-Belt and Procast Foundry for over 30 years. He was also a member of the Elmira Fire Department for 33 years. Ed enjoyed the outdoors and spent much time in the woods with his dog, Rex. Ed is survived by his wife Adele; children Ruth (Bruce) Martin of Southampton and Wayne (Leah) Miller of Elmira; grandchildren Brett (Terra) and Erin Martin of Southampton, and Danielle (John) Boese and Cassandra Miller of Elmira; and six great-grandchildren: Nova, Maya, Nicholas, Victoria, Spencer, and Amelia. Predeceased by his parents Phillip and Emma Miller, brothers Arnold and Robert, and sisters Hilda (Donald) Dietrich and Reta (Claude) Ertel. Visitation was held on Sunday, April 24, 2022, from 2 – 5 p.m. at Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira. A funeral service took place at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 25, 2022 in the funeral home chapel, followed by interment in Elmira Union Cemetery.

Donations to St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation or Grand River Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family, and may be made through the funeral home.

Peacefully at home on Sunday, April 24, 2022, Verna Martin of RR 1, St. Jacobs, in her 78th year. Loving mother of Karen Martin of RR 2, Wallenstein, Dennis and Vera Martin of RR 1, St. Jacobs, Shirley and Paul Martin of RR 1, Elmira, Pauline and Amos Martin of RR 2, Ariss, Richard and Arlene Martin of RR 1, St. Jacobs, Florence and Vernal Martin of RR 2, Ayton, and Fern and Paul Steckle of New Liskeard. Fondly remembered by her 40 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters Erla Bauman, Reta Martin, Carl Wideman, Clare and Beatrice Wideman, Leonard and Sharon Wideman, Elmer and Margaret Wideman, Merle and Ellen Wideman. Also remembered by Lester and Margaret Eby. Predeceased by her husband Daniel Martin (2003), son-inlaw Onias Martin (2021), one grandson, her parents Edwin and Salome Wideman, brother Ray, two brothersin-law and one sister-in-law. The family received friends and relatives at Verna’s home, 660 Hawkesville Road, St. Jacobs, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 from 1-5 and 6-8 p.m., and on Thursday, April 28, 2022 from 2-6 p.m. A family service will be held at the home on Friday, April 29, 2022 at 9 a.m., then to Conestoga Mennonite Meeting House for further service and burial in the adjoining cemetery.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Obituary Martin, Verna

Death Notice Support your local newspaper.

Shop online today! newsmart.ca

ANNA MARIE (TAYLOR) GERBER - passed away peacefully at home in her 81st year, after a long struggle with cancer.

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 20

Living Here

It's about all of us.

Leading the way reporting about the people and places of home.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Report it: observerxtra.com/tips

United Way funding

Leading the charge

United Way Waterloo Region Communities (UWWRC) this week announced the distribution of $712,357 to 60 local agencies and programs this quarter through the General Community Fund. The agency had some $2 million in requests, with demand outstripping available funding. Recipients include WCS, Community Care Concepts and the Wilmot Family Resource Centre.

Guelph General Hospital’s president and CEO, Marianne Walker, has taken over the role as hospital lead for Waterloo Wellington’s COVID-19 response. Her appointment follows the recent departure of St. Mary’s General Hospital’s Lee Fairclough, who is seeking a Toronto-area seat in the June 2 provincial election.

Kidney stones and calcium DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have trouble with kidney stones and recently found out they are calcium oxalate stones. While I have stopped consuming all dairy products, I know that I need calcium as I age for bone health. Would adding in almond milk or another type of plant milk help? How do I take care of both my kidneys and bones?

ANSWER: It sounds like your concern about milk and other dairy products is that their calcium may spur the development of more kidney stones. But people who've had calcium oxalate kidney stones need a certain amount of calcium in their diets.

Although almond milk and other plant-based milks, such as soy milk, contain calcium, they also contain oxalate. People with a history of calcium oxalate stones often are cautioned to avoid oxalaterich foods. Cow's milk doesn't have oxalate, but it has the calcium and many other beneficial nutrients that you need, so it is a good choice for you.

Kidney stones made of calcium oxalate form when urine contains more of these substances than the fluid in the urine can dilute. When that happens, the calcium and oxalate form crystals. At the same time, the urine may lack citrate, a substance that prevent the crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal environment for kidney stones to form.

It may seem to make sense that when calcium and oxalate make up the kidney stones that avoid-

ur office book or Instagram. Tag a friend in

▢ Mayo Clinic

Professional Clinical Health Advice

ing both should help.

But calcium is a critical part of your diet. Your body needs it not only to keep your bones healthy, but also to regulate your blood pressure and aid in muscle function. Oxalate is a naturally occurring substance found in many foods. Some fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and chocolate, have high oxalate levels. Your liver also produces oxalate.

A key for preventing growth of calcium oxalate stones is to get the right amount of calcium: 1,200 milligrams daily. If you have calcium-rich foods or beverages at each meal, you lower the amount of oxalate absorbed into your bloodstream, reducing your risk of new kidney stones.

For the best stone prevention, calcium should come from food.

When you consider good sources of calcium, dairy products are high on the list. Check the Nutrition Facts label to find out how much calcium is in these and other beverages and foods. But if you are not consuming milk or yogurt at meals, talk to your health care provider about calcium supplements or pills.

In addition to getting the right amount of calcium, you can make other important changes to reduce your risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones. It's important to drink plenty of water and other fluids. → MAYO CLINIC 23

Ginny Lobsinger has been busy sorting books for her church’s annual book sale. This year will be the last sale after 20 years. Proceeds Leah gerber will go to Ukraine relief.

Booking on funds for Ukrainian relief

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church ramping up for what is likely the last of its annual book sales Leah Gerber Observer Staff

GINNY LOBSINGER SITS IN THE St. Peter’s Lutheran Church community hall in Heidelberg she says was built by her great grandfather and his brother in 1896.

Lobsinger says that 20 years ago, the church hall was extremely busy with community events.

“Almost every night of the week there was a group in here.” Programs included events like Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, an exercise program or a parent and tot program.

“We've always welcomed groups from the

community or programs from the community here to use the facilities free of charge,” she said.

To help pay for the costs of hosting so many events, the congregation started a used book sale, and the event continued annually for 20 years.

Today the only group still using the church hall regularly is the seniors’ card club, which meets twice a month and will return in June, says Lobsinger, noting this year will be the last for the book sale.

“Which is sad, it is,” said Lobsinger. “But the time that it takes... we’re an aging congregation

and there’s not a lot of us.

There’s probably about 30 active members and so it just isn’t something that we want to keep up.”

The funds will go toward relief efforts for Ukraine.

“We thought that we’d have it go to a good cause,” she said. “It’s just obvious with the refugees and the help that’s needed.”

The congregation is donating their Lenten offering to Ukraine relief, and the book sale funds will go along with them.

Together the funds will be donated through Canadian Lutheran World Relief.

Lobsinger has been busy

collecting and sorting piles of books and puzzles for the event. They are stacked in the low-ceilinged church basement below the hall. A framed portrait of Jesus watches over the leaning boxes.

And, she loves books; actual physical books made from paper.

“I read every day. Every day. I love a book – a paper book,” she said. “I like to hold a book.”

Lobsinger says the annual book sale is popular and that it was missed when it wasn’t held during the pandemic. “People look forward to it,” she said. “They were asking → BOOK SALE 23

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Thursday, April 28, 2022 | THE OBSERVER

L I V I N G H E R E | 21

ↆ C O M M U N I T Y

Some ingredients for the BBQ

W

hen I read the title of this dish I instantly want to break out in song! You know, the one where Dick Van Dyke, through a plot device, has conveniently become a chimney sweep?

If you do resist this temptation then you will discover that ”Chimichurri” actually means “a bunch of random ingredients put together in no particular order.”

If you know me, then you’ll know that this perfectly reflects my cooking style!

It is also traditionally used in Argentina as a marinade or condiment.

Meat is very popular there and it works on almost

CHEF DUFF

any type of meat or even fish.

Ingredients and flavours may vary, but what’s typical is fresh herbs, olive oil, and some acidity.

A good chimichurri can be held in the fridge for a couple of weeks (as long as it hasn’t touched meat yet).

By removing the seeds from the jalapenos in this particular recipe, they can be used a little more liberally by adding a lot of flavour without as much heat.

Happy grilling!

▢ 1⁄4 cup extra virgin

▢ 1⁄4 tsp. ground cori-

▢ 3 Tbsp. red wine

▢ 1 tsp. each salt and

vinegar

▢ 1⁄3 cup cilantro leaves ▢ 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley leaves

▢ Half a jalapeño

pepper, seeds removed and chopped

▢ 2 cloves garlic,

ander

freshly ground black pepper

▢ 8 bone-in chicken thighs or pieces

▢ 1⁄3 cup plain yogurt

2. Place chicken in large shallow dish; add 1⁄4 cup of the chimichurri sauce, the yogurt and remaining salt and pepper.

Stir to combine; let

radishes, cut into matchstick strips

marinate 20 minutes.

3. Preheat greased barbecue to medium-high heat. Grill chicken with lid down, turning occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through.

4. Stir radishes together with 2 Tbsp. of the chimichurri sauce. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Garnish with radish slaw. If desired, serve with remaining chimichurri sauce (or save for another use).

ↆ Chef Bruce Duff is the operator of “Chef Duff at RiverSong” Banquet hall, Café and Culinary Centre just outside of St. Jacobs, which hosts private events, banquets, team building and cooking classes and also run breakfast and lunch in the café from Wed. – Sat; info@chefduff.ca.

ↆ FA I T H Elmira Mennonite Church

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▢ 1 small bunch

minced

1. Combine 2 Tbsp oil, vinegar, cilantro, parsley, jalapeño, garlic, coriander, half each of the salt and pepper and 1 Tbsp. water in food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Scrape into small bowl; stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. oil.

Kleensweep

Recipes from the chef's table

Chimichurri Chicken with Radish Slaw olive oil

“A GOOD JOB DONE EVERY TIME”

E V E N T S

FRIDAY, MAY 6 ▢ Woolwich Gardeners Plant Donation. We need donations of perennial plants and other garden related items for our fundraiser. Please bring items to Elmira Home Hardware parking lot (north side) between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Tia Ruza (Lay Preacher) www.elmiramennonite.ca

58 Church St. W., Elmira • 519-669-5123

Vacuum Sales, Repairs Se Service All Makes & Models

▢ Elora Festival Giant Book Sale Friday until Sunday

at the Elora Curling Club on David Stree W. Bring a bag and choose from 60,000 gently-read adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction books, games, DVDs, CDs and records. This year’s sale will be on Friday May 6 (5 pm-9 pm; $5.00 adult admission), Saturday May 7 (9:30 am-5 pm; free admission) and Sunday May 8 (9:30 am- 4 pm; free admission). Parking is free.

Cash is preferred; a cheque with photo ID and current address may be accepted. We do not accept credit or debit cards.

SATURDAY, MAY 7 ▢ Woolwich Gardeners Plant Sale Fundraiser. Peren-

9 Church St. E., Elmira

519-669-8362 Email: elmiravacuum@gmail.com

Quality & Service you can trust.

nial plants and other garden related items for sale.

Please come to the north side of Elmira Home Hardware parking lot between 8 a.m and noon.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 ▢ Smoked Pork Chop take Out Dinner to benefit

Woolwich Counselling Centre and Gale Presbyterian Church. Drive through pick up from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Menu: pork chop, baked potato, vegetable, coleslaw and dessert. Advanced tickets only: $18/dinner (deadline to order is May 2). Contact our office to book your pick up time & tickets 519-669-2852 or office@ galepresbyterian.com.

21 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.2884 | martinselmira.com

Education and Treatment

THURSDAY, MAY 12 ▢ St. Peter's Heidelberg Book Sale for Ukraine Effort, Thursday to Saturday. Used books in great condition for all ages and types of readers. Children’s books, fiction, non fiction, recipe, puzzles, CDs, DVDs, Something for everyone. Sale begins Thursday, May 12 9 a.m.to 4 p.m.; Friday, May 13 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 14 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cash only sale. The more you buy the better the price.

FRIDAY, MAY 13

Your First Step to Better Hearing

519-669-9919 charlene@bauerhearing.com 25 Industrial Drive, Elmira

▢ Elmira Legion Delicious Chicken Dinner with pota-

toes, vegetables, roll and dessert. Serving from 5-6 pm. TAKEOUT ONLY, $15/person. To order call Donna: 519-669-5894.

NANCY KOEBEL

Bus: 519.744.5433

Freedom 55 Financial is a division of The Canada Life Assurance Company

Email: nancy.koebel@f55f.com Individual life insurance, mortgage insurance, business insurance, employee benefits programs, critical illness insurance, disability coverage,

RRSPs, RESPs, RRIFs, LIFs and Annuities.

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TUESDAY MAY 17 ▢ Tuesday Take-Out Lunch at Gale Presbyterian.

Woolwich

SANYO CANADIAN

Drive-Thru Pick-Up 11:30am - 12:30pm Gale Presbyterian Church, 10 Barnswallow Dr. Elmira.

Menu: Hawaiian chicken & rice, hot vegetable, bread, salad & dessert. **RSVP by May 12 to office@galepresbyterian.com or 519-669-2852.

MACHINE WORKS INCORPORATED

WOOLWICH RESIDENTS SUPPORT FUND

33 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.1591

The WRSF will continue to address ongoing needs experienced by Woolwich residents long after the pandemic has ended.

Access to the Fund is available by contacting:  Community Care Concepts of Woolwich, Wellesley and Wilmot  Woolwich Community Services  Woolwich Counseling Centre  Woolwich Community Health Centre ↆ The Community Events Calendar is reserved for non-profit local events that are offered free to the public. Placement is not guaranteed. Registrations, corporate events, open houses and similar events do not qualify for free advertising. See complete policy online. All submissions are to be made online at observerxtra.com/event-listing/.

D I R E C TO RY 9:30 am

CA L E N DA R

Healthy Communities

The place to get involved.

• Volunteer Opportunities • Projects & News • Sub-Committee updates

Woolwich Township Ward 1 Councillor

How can I help you?

519.514.6051

pmerlihan@woolwich.ca

www.merlihan.com

healthywoolwich.org

Playtime Word of the Week

Find-A-Word

MINION

is not powerful or important and who obeys the orders of a powerful leader or boss.

Mini-Word

ACROSS 1. Ewer features 7. Meal taken

DOWN 1. Saliva ejected

from the mouth 2. A lot 3. Sequence of eight bits 4. Bind 5. Race official 6. Disdain

outdoors

8. Last month 9. Wobble 10. To the rear

Sudoku

EASY

Sudoku

HARD

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 22

If your company would like to sponsor this page, please contact The Observer at 519-669-5790 ext.104 Or email donna@woolwichobserver.com

Better feet, better you!

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, $ 7 2 2 / . = <

7 6 2 3 2 0 , 1 ,

7 + 3 % & ' / 3 )

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8 Letters 1 Word

THEME: CLOTHES

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BANYAN

COVERALL

HOOD

RUFF

TAM

TOPPER

BATHROBE

COWL

KILT

SASH

TIARA

TRUNKS

BIB

CROWN

MASK

SLIP

TOGA

VEIL

BRA

FEZ

MINI

STOLE

TOGS

VEST

CHAPLET

GUM SHOE

MITT

SUIT

TOP BOOT

CLOG

HAT

MUFF

TAILS

TOPEE

SOLUTION:

Figure out the mystery letters to complete this eight-letter word reading clockwise or counterclockwise.

Crossword ACROSS 1. Annoying 8. Deli offering 14. Loss of memories 15. Jazz band member 16. Proof of purchase 17. Quivers or quakes 18. Snares 19. Always, in verse 21. Drug cop, for short 22. Doctrines 23. Wearing less 25. Christmas 26. Blouse, e.g.

27. Wooed 29. Society of

Automotive Engineers 30. Founder of Scholasticism 32. Yellowish 34. Heroic outlaw 36. Handle for surfers 39. Closed 43. Rule out 44. Champion 46. Absorbed, as a cost 47. Beanies 49. Brownish gray 50. Excellent: Scot.

51. Forebodings 53. Hallucinogen

54. Everyday 55. Lanai 57. Friendly 59. In heat 60. Rats 61. Hemmed again

62. Back-to-school

6. Small bite 7. Bistro dessert

8. Knight's title 9. Gulf of ___, off the

goddess

DOWN 1. Bach composition 2. Boston college

3. Bivouacs 4. Aux. execs 5. Egyptian fertility

purchases

coast of Yemen 10. Another name for Lake Geneva 11. Spanish sherry 12. Silent stage star 13. Dr. Scholl's products 15. Duration 20. Mistaken 23. Pompous speech 24. Find new quarters for 27. Copy 28. Go on and on 31. Be mistaken 33. Old name for Tokyo 35. African antelopes 36. Dig up 37. Kind of cat 38. Aces 40. Allegorical story 41. 24/7 business 42. Fresh quality 45. Fill in 48. Animal catcher 50. Sheep cries 52. Falling flakes 54. ___ bread 56. Gloomy 58. Fold, spindle or mutilate

Mother’s Love Dinners — “Ready to Heat” May 6 & 7 — Maple Glazed Chicken Supreme OR Maple Glazed Salmon Family of 2 - $35 Family of 4 - $60

FootCare Clinic in Elmira at the Clock Tower starting in May 2022.

For appointments call/text at 519-722-2976 or get details at www.gabisfootcare.ca.

519-500-1715 | info@chefduff.ca | www.chefduff.ca

Thursday, April 28, 2022 | THE OBSERVER

L I V I N G H E R E | 23

KINGS: All tied up, series will go at least six games → FROM 4

that would stand until 8:36 of the third period, when Stratford tied the game.

The first OT settled nothing, but 12:59 into the second extra frame, Stratford managed another 2-1 overtime victory. Shots were 35-33 in Elmira’s favour, though the Warriors had a 17-11 edge in OT. Neither team connected with an extra man, Elmira going 0-7 and Stratford 0-8.

“Credit to their goalie – he’s playing really, really well right now. I thought he was outstanding last night as well,” said Collins on Tuesday. “They found a way to win and that’s the

most important thing in the playoffs.”

While running into a hot netminder is something that happens in the playoffs, Collins notes the Kings have shown they know what to do.

“It’s an absolute real thing. By no means am I saying that their goalie is keeping them in this series – that’s a good hockey team over there. We just got to find ways to get pucks by them.”

The series resumed Wednesday night in Elmira, though results weren’t known before press time. Collins said his players were itching to get back to it, knowing that

how they played all season applies right now.

“I think as a group, we found a recipe that works for us – just kind of stick to it. It’s just the attention to details, and the focus just needs to be there. The little things go such a long way in the playoffs. So, if you lack a little thing and it costs you one goal against, say, it could be very well the difference,” he said.

“The guys are excited about getting back at it.

They want to get back out there and compete. They have a sour taste in their mouth when they left the rink last night (Monday), so hopefully that translates to what’s needed.”

A lemony twist on a diner classic

T

MAYO CLINIC: Dietary changes can lower the risk → FROM 20

Drink about 8 to 10 ounces of liquid each hour you're awake or at least 2 liters per day. The easiest way to know whether you're drinking enough fluids is to look at your urine. It should be almost clear.

Another important change is to reduce your sodium intake. Excess dietary sodium leads to higher calcium levels in urine, increasing the risk of all calcium-based kidney stones. Aim for less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day. Read labels to know how much sodium is in the foods you eat and drink.

You also may need to

he Palace Diner first went into service in the town of Biddeford, Maine, in 1927 and has been serving breakfast and lunch ever since.

This tiny restaurant (it has just 15 seats!) is an example of a "dining car" diner. Dining cars were small restaurants built to look like train cars. They became hugely popular in

▢ America's Test Kitchen Rigorously tested recipes that work.

the 1920s and 1930s.

When co-owners Chad Conley and Greg Mitchell took over the Palace Diner in 2014, the diner became known for its breakfast menu, especially the flapjacks. "There are a few

Palace Diner Lemon-Buttermilk Flapjacks ▢ 1 1⁄3 cups (6 2⁄3

ounces) all-purpose flour

▢ 1⁄4 cup (1 3⁄4

ounces) sugar

▢ 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

▢ 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg and egg yolk, and lemon zest and juice until combined.

Add melted butter and whisk until well combined.

3. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture.

Use a rubber spatula to stir gently until just combined (batter should remain lumpy -- do not overmix). Let batter sit for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, add oil to a large stovetop griddle or electric griddle. Use a

▢ 1⁄2 teaspoon salt ▢ 1 1⁄3 cups (10 2⁄3

ounces) buttermilk

▢ 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

▢ 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice, zested and

paper towel to spread oil into a thin, even coating over surface of griddle.

For a stovetop griddle, place it over 2 burners and heat over low heat for at least 5 minutes.

For an electric griddle, heat to 350 degrees.

5. When batter is ready, if using stovetop griddle, increase heat to medium and heat for 1 more minute.

6. Use a 1⁄3-cup dry measuring cup to scoop 1⁄3 cup of batter onto griddle. Use a rubber spatula to scrape batter from the cup and spread into a 5-inch circle.

meat, chicken or fish can increase the likelihood of kidney stones. Limit these foods to no more than 3 ounces at your midday meal and 3 ounces at your evening meal.

For more information on diet changes that can lower your risk for kidney stones, talk to your health care provider or a dietitian.

He or she can guide your dietary choices to reduce your risk of stones while still getting the nutrition you need. ↆ Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www. mayoclinic.org.

BOOK SALE: Organizers looking for a good turnout → FROM 20

things that make the recipe unique," Chef Conley told us. "One is the addition of lemon zest for flavour and aroma. Another is the addition of lemon juice, which adds to that flavour and aroma, but, more importantly, the acidity reacts with the baking soda to create extra lift. That helps to make them super fluffy."

cut down on foods rich in oxalate. Unfortunately, oxalate content is not listed on food labels. The highest amounts of oxalate are found in certain fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods, such as beans, nuts, and bran cereals or breads. Meats, eggs, dairy products, white rice and pasta are generally low in oxalate. If your health care provider recommends that you limit oxalate-rich foods, consider meeting with a dietitian to evaluate your diet.

Sugar and fat can raise the risk of developing kidney stones, so limiting these in your diet also will help. Finally, too much

through COVID, ‘When are you having a book sale?’”

There are kids in the community who grew up with the book sale, and return every year even now as teenagers, she added. “It’s nice to see them grow up.”

She said she hopes people will come for the last sale. She’s been busy sorting books and puzzles, noting there is something for everyone.

She listed books of many genres: self help, how-to, travel, mystery, romance, children’s books, recipe and craft books.

“There’s a huge variety, it’s just as good as the bookstores,” she said Whatever isn’t sold will be donated to a used bookstore, or perhaps the congregation will donate any leftovers to a thrift shop.

The sale will be held

May 12-14 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 2925 Lobsinger Line. Volunteers will be there selling the books from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

“I just want [the community] to come out and support a good cause.

Take as many books as possible,” she said. “You can’t beat the prices, and we want to raise a lot of money for a good cause.

squeezed from 1 lemon

▢ 3 tablespoons

unsalted butter, melted and cooled

▢ 1⁄2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Repeat three more times, leaving space between the mounds of batter.

7. Cook until the edges are set and the first side is deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a spatula to flip flapjacks and cook until the second side is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. (If you're using a stovetop griddle, set over two burners on your stove; one side of your griddle may cook faster than the other.)

8. Use a spatula to transfer pancakes to plates. Repeat portioning and cooking with remaining batter. Serve.

⚠ Notes: If you don't have a griddle, you can cook these flapjacks in a 12-inch nonstick skillet instead.

Cook them in batches over medium heat, two at a time for medium-size flapjacks or one at a time for large-size flapjacks. ⚠ If you love lemon, use the full 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. ⚠ If you want to serve these flapjacks all at once (rather than as they come off the griddle), first heat your oven to 200 degrees -- just warm enough to keep the flapjacks hot but not so hot that they dry out.

As you make the flapjacks, place them on a cooling rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Then place the baking sheet in the warm oven. The flapjacks can stay in the oven for 15 minutes -- long enough for you to cook the remaining batter. ↆ For 25 years, confident cooks in the know have relied on America's Test Kitchen for rigourously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. See more online at www. amercastestkitchen.com

Community Care Concepts of Woolwich, Wellesley and Wilmot

Helping Seniors and Adults with Disabilities to Live Independently in Their Own Home Meals on Wheels • Transportation Day Programs • Homemakers • Maintenance Friendly Visitors • Community Meals • Social Programs Transportation from Hospital to Home FREE Community Exercise and Falls Prevention Classes FREE Short Term Home Support For information, services or support contact Community Care Concepts

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|

1-855-664-1900

24 | T H E B A C K PA G E

THE OBSERVER | Thursday, April 28, 2022

VINYL

VINYL

SCAN ME

W W W. S O U R C E F L O O R I N G . C O M

IN STOCK!

Officials gathered at the airport Apr. 21 for the ceremony.

→ FROM 1

that was released on March 3.

Speaking to the reporters on April 21, Flair CEO Stephen Jones said the airline is “is here to stay.”

“The May 3 deadline... is not a drop-dead day. May 3 is simply the date by which Flair needs to respond to CTA on the concerns that they’ve raised in their preliminary hearings.

There is zero chance that Flair will lose its license on May 3,” Jones said.

According to the CTA there are three requirements that must be met for an air carrier to be considered Canadian: incorporation, the voting interest (a non-Canadian cannot own more than 50 per cent of the voting interest) and Canadian control in fact.

According to Jones his company meets all these requirements. Flair is incorporated in BC, while 58 per cent of the shares are owned by Canadians, with no non-Canadian owner holding more than 25 per cent.

The third requirement is more subjective, Jones said.

“There’s no hard line test for control in fact. It’s important to note here that the CTA does not need to find that control was being

Thank you for volunteering!

We couldn’t be open without the help of our dedicated volunteers.

exhibited by non-Canadians, rather simply tests where control can be by looking at the entire set of relationships it has with non-Canadians. The CTA accepts that non Canadians are entitled to take steps to protect the value of their investment,” he said.

The preliminary determination was prompted by questions about the amount of influcence Miami-based investment firm 777 Partners has over Flair.

The airline turned to the firm for funding during the pandemic, Jones said.

“This was required by Flair during COVID to ensure the survival of the airline and in protection of jobs and connectivity for all Canadians. As we stand here today, Flair is strongly cash self-generating and is projecting significant cash surpluses to build over the summer period. We are no longer dependent on 777 partners on day-to-day cash needs; 777 partners never used the fact that they were providing us cash to exert day-to-day control,” he said.

While Jones declined to say how much Flair owes to 777, they have refinanced nearly $80 million of it.

They have also removed a number of legal rights that 777 had and reduced the number of directors the firm can appoint to two.

Addressing Flair’s involvement with YKF, Jones said the issues were “absolutely not known” before the expansion.

“We’ve got 150 people directly employed in our business in the Kitchener Waterloo Region. I think it’s a very wise investment and we look forward to continuing to grow our business there,” he said.

Chris Wood, general Manager of YKF, said they have been following the situation closely.

“We have talked to Flair and we’re supportive of them, and we believe they will get their house in order and get through this,” Wood said in an interview “I think what has also happened is Flair has proven that there’s a market here for other airlines to potentially come in, and fly some of those routes.”

1

$ 00

Bill Atwood

AIRPORT: Banking on a continued increase in service Toronto’s Pearson airport, which is expected to reach 85 million passengers a year by 2037. While Pearson does have its own plan for expansion, Redman does not see it impacting the local airport.

“Even if Pearson expands, they have an eye on international travel. We have domestic flights as well as some international flights, but what we don’t have is the bumper-tobumper traffic on the 401.

We don’t have expensive parking. We don’t have some of the chaos that ensues with a huge airport.

There are a lot of reasons to recognize that this investment is a smart thing to do for the region,” she said.

As part of the overall expansion YKF is heavily reliant on flights provided

by Flair Airlines, which began its service from the airport in Feb 2021.

However the airline is currently under review by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) about whether it meets the definition of being “Canadian” under the 1996 Canada Transportation Act. The CTA gave Flair 60 days to respond to the preliminary determination

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